HANDBOOK 


OF 


GERMAN    IDIOMS 


M.  B.  LAMBERT 

Richmond  Hill  High  School,  New  York  City 


NEW  YORK 

HENRY  HOLT  AND  COMPANY 

1910 


IN  MEMORIAM 


Copyright, 


1910, 


HENRY  HOLT  AND  COMPANY 


PREFACE 


This  collection  of  German  idioms  is  presented  in  the  hope 
that  it  will  prove  helpful  to  teachers  and  students  of  the  language, 
and  that  it  may  contribute  in  a  modest  way  toward  making  the 
sentence  rather  than  the  word  the  unit  of  treatment  in  the  study 
and  acquisition  of  the  language.  The  German  language  is  full 
of  idioms,  the  meaning  of  which  is  poorly  grasped  by  the  student, 
because  he  never  becomes  liberated  from  the  individual  word. 

The  idioms  have  been  compiled  in  large  part  from  the  Muret- 
Sanders  Encyklopädisches  Wörterbuch^  from  the  Flügel-Schmidt- 
Tanger  Wörterbuch  der  Englischen  und  Deutschen  Sprache,  and 
from  Hetzel's  Wie  der  Deutsche  spricht.  Various  considerations 
prohibit  even  an  approach  to  completeness.  The  same  con- 
siderations forbid  the  use  in  most  instances  of  more  than  one 
English  meaning,  although  many  of  the  idioms,  especially  those 
of  everyday  conversation,  have  a  variety  of  finely  shaded  mean- 
ings depending  upon  the  connotation  and  intonation.  Only 
occasional  use  has  been  made  of  the  vast  treasury  of  proverbs 
and  popular  quotations  in  the  language.  The  alphabetical 
arrangement  according  to  key-words,  while  open  to  objections, 
presents  itself  on  the  whole  as  the  most  practicable. 


926692 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


91 


3Ser  31  fagt,  mug  and)  58  fagen. 
515  (==3el)t  ah,  gel)en  ab), 
^om   1.  3anuar  ah  wirb  bie 

3)hete  erl)ö^t. 
^r  fommt  ab  unb  ^u.     (Cf.  Sr 

fd^retbt  bann  unb  lüann.    (Sr 

iam  f)in  unb  trieber). 
(5r  ift  ba^  SlBMlb  (öon)  feiner 

abutter. 
dv  ift  aügebli^t 
(Sr  brad)  furj  ttb. 
(Sie  fi^en  nod)  auf  ber  51^6;= 

bant 
(5^  briicft  mir  ba^  gerg  ab* 
e^   ift   nod)   nid)t   alter  ^age 

5lbenb. 
(56  ift  ein  Hbcr  babei. 
(go  laffe  \6)  mic^  nid)t  abfcrti^^ 

gen, 
Qdj  gebe  mic^  nid)t  mit  fofdien 

Lenten  ah. 
^er  ^rief  ift  mir  ab^nbcn  ge* 

fommen. 
^ev  ahf}Qhi,  gibt  nic^t. 


In  for  a  penny,  in  for  a  pound. 

Exit  (exeunt). 

From  the   ist  of  January  the 

rent  will  be  raised. 
He  comes  now  and  then.-— '— 


He  is  the  very  image  of  his 

mother. 
He  was  rebuffed. 

He  stopped  short."--. ^ 

They  are  still  beginners. 

It  breaks  my  heart.' — -^ 
Don't  crow  too  soon.  He  laughs 

best  who  laughs  last. 
There  is  a  but  in  the  matter. 
I  will  not  be  put  off  like  this. 

I  have  nothing  to  do  with  such , 

people. 
I  have  mislaid  (lost)  the  letter. 

The  person  who  cuts  does  not 
deal. 


2  GERMAN  IDIOMS 

(5^  tft  eine  aBgcfartctc  Sad)e*  It  is  a  put-up  job. 

Qd)  tann  I)eute  nidjt  abfommen.  I  can't  get  away  (off)  to-day. 

T)ie  U^r  ift  aBntcIaufcm  The  clock  has  lun  down. 

■^?  ;'  ?öie  toirb  tia^;  rrMiiufctt  ?  How  will  this  turn  out  ? 

'  ''Jicgeit  (^ie  gefälUgft-  ah !  Take  off  your  things. 

'.  '  .  ;5lj^gfemai^t;!, ,  '{(^i,  Zvpp  !)*  Done.     Agreed. 

'^er  äJlonb  nimmt  ab.  The  moon  is  on  the  wane. 

!DaÖ  ift  gegen  Ut  5l6rcbc.  That  is  contrary  to  our  agree- 
ment. 

Diefe  3Baren  finben  einen  guten  These  goods  meet  with  a  brisk 

5l(ifa^.  demand. 

!Da^  (Snbe  ift  nid)t  abjufc^cn.  There   is  no  telling  where   it 

will  end. 

(Sie  fie^t  i^m  atteö  an  hen  %n^  She  anticipates  his  every  wish. 

gen  ab. 

(2ie  fc^en  e§  auf  Komplimente  You   are   fishing    for    compli- 

ah.  ments. 

(Sr  !ommt  in  ber  5lbfid)t,  um  ^U  He  comes  with  the  intention  of 

lernen.  learning. 

Wlan  fpcifte  i^n  mit  leeren  2Bor^  He    was    put   off   with    fine 

ten  ab,  speeches. 

Wlan  tann  il)m  Xaknt  nicf)t  ab-  Nobody  can  deny  his  talent. 

\pndjtn. 

2Bir  tnerben  3^l)nen  einen  lur^en  We  shall  pay  you  a  brief  visit.- 

:^efui^  abftattcn. 

3öir  machen  einen  Keinen  5lb=  We  are  making  a  little  side- 

fter^cr  nac^  .  .  .  (Cf.  SSir  ma=        trip  to  .  .  . 

cf)en  einen  5luaf(urj  auf  ha<i 

l^anb).  \ 

'Man  mtc§  ifjU  furj  ab.  He  was  dismissed  without  cer- 
emony. 

T)a^  Vd^t  fief)  an  htn  gingern  ah*  That  is  clear  as  day,.    ,i^ 

jagten» 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


dv  fdjvie  5l(^  unb  Set), 
@ib  ad^t,  ma^  ic^  bir  fage! 
D^imm  bid)  in  aä}t\ 
§eute  über  a(^t  Xage  ift  3Seit)^ 

nackten. 
(Sie  ()aben  it)m  jur  3lbcr  gelaffen. 
'^  e^  ift  leine  gnte  Slbcr  an  it)m. 

(Cf.  (5^  ift  fein  gute^  §oar 

an  if)m.  ©^  ift  fein  guter  go* 

bcu  an  i^m). 
or  t)at  ficQ  einen  ^ilffen  gefanft. 
(Sr  fiel)t  fid)  nid)t  inel)r  ä^nlic^. 
T)ie  euppe  (-gutter)  ift  atte, 
(Sr  fam  in  aöer  grüf)e. 

(S^  ift  mir  aüe^  ein«.     (Cf.  ß« 

ift  mir  einerlei    T)a^  ift  mir 

SSurft). 
(2ie  ift  atterliebft. 
«Sie  molfen  alfo  nic^t? 
(5«  bleibt  beim  2(Itett. 
33Mn  fie{)t  if)m  fein  5llter  nid)t 

an. 
(Sr  ift  im  fd)önften  5l(tcr,     (Cf. 

@ie  finb  nod)  in  3^ren  beften 

Sauren). 
23or  altera  mar  ba«  anber«. 
9lm  menigften  foltte  man  (ügen. 
3:ue,  tüa^  beine§  5lmtc§  ift. 
X;a«  ift  nid)t  meine«  5lmte§. 
S3on  je^t  an  muß  e«  anber«  ge^en. 

'^a  fittitbclt  fic^  lüa«  an. 


He  made  a  great  outcry. 
Mark  what  I  tell  you. 
Look  out. 
This  day  week  is  Christmas. 

They  have  bled  him. 

He  is  absolutely  worthless. 


He  has  a  jag  on. 
He  is  not  like  the  same  person. 
There  is  no  more  soup  (butter). 
He   came    very    early    in   the 

morning. 
It  is  all  the  same  to  me. 


She  is  most  charming.- 
You  w^on't,  eh? 
Things  remain  as  they  were. 
He  does  not  look  his  age. 

He  is  in  his  best  years. 


In  olden  times  it  was  different. 

Least  of  all  should  one  lie. 

Do  your  duty. 

That  is  no  concern  of  mine.-^- 

From  this  day  forth  things 
must  go  differently. 

There  is  a  love  affair  begin- 
ning. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


T^er  \)at  fic^  einen  ^ciren  ange= 

(unbem 
(gr  tft  !urj  ottgcBuitbctt* 
(5in^  tnö  aitbcre  gerechnet,  marf)t 

ba^  ®an3e  ^e^n  dJlaxt 
Unter  anbcrem  fagte  er. 
(Sie  fanten  einer  nm  benanbcrett. 
Sag  bu  nic^t  tüillft,  ha^  man  bir 

tn',  bag  füg'  and)  feinem  on^ 

berit  ^n. 
a^  lägt  fic^  nic^t  ättbern, 
®ef(^e!)ene^inge  finb  nic^t  me^r 

^n  änbcrti. 
T)ie  (Sad)e  lief  anberS  ab,  aU  icf) 

ernjartet. 
^a«  ift  nnn  einmal'  nic^t  onberS, 


^r  t)at  fi^  anbcr§  begonnen, 
(är  ift  ie^t  njo  anbcrö, 
!^ag  cfelt  mic^  an» 
Sr  fu^r  it)n  gehörig  an, 

3cft  n)etg  nic^t,  lüie  id)  einen  5ln« 

fang  ma(f)en  folL 
5Bag  fod  id)  anfangen? 
3d)  !ann  mit  i^m  ntd^t^  anfan« 

gen. 
Tlan  meig  ni(^t,  lüo  man  i^n  an- 

faffctt  foil 
?a6  bic^  bag  nit^t  anfeii^tctt ! 
^er  lägt  fic^  nid)t  fo  lei(^t  an« 

führen» 


He  has  run  into  debt. 

He  is  blunt  (gruff). 

All  together  it  amounts  to  ten 

marks. 
Among  other  things  he  said. 
They  came  one  after  another. 
Do  unto  others  as  you  would 

have  them  do  unto  you. 

It  can't  be  helped. 

There  is  no  use  crying  over 

spilt  milk. 
It  turned  out  differently  from 

what  I  expected. 
It's  so  and  cannot  be  helped. 

(5^nn  einmal  ^ivds  force  of 

last  four  words). 
He  has  changed  his  mind. 
He  is  somewhere  else  now. 
I  am  disgusted  with  this.-=— ^-^ 
He  talked  to  him  like  a  Dutch 

uncle. 
I  do  not  know  how  to  begin. 

What  shall  I  do  ? 

I  can  do  nothing  with  him. 

He   is  a  difficult  man  to  deal- 

with. 
Don't  mind  that. 
He  is  not  so  easily  taken  in. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


dr  gibt  fic^  für  einen  'äx^t  an. 

(Cf.  ($r  Qtht  \\d)  für  einen 

5^il:^ter  am). 
T)a§>  ge^t  mid)  nid)tö  an*     (Cf. 

5öa^  belümmcrt  bid)  ba^?). 
9D^ir  tüirb  angft  urn  il)n. 
I       Sarum  ^Itft  bn  an? 
*       dr  ^It  nm  ha^  SD^äbdien  am 
^aö  (Bind  \)at  njenig  Slnflang 

gefnnben. 
(Sr  fam  mit  bem  ö^U^r-^ug  an. 

(gr  tommt  gnt  an. 

'^a  tft  er  fd)(erf)t  angcfommcn. 

(g^  fommt  baranf  an.  (Cf.  ge 
nac^  ben  Umftänben). 

@ö  fommt  nur  auf  (Sie  an. 

(So  foil  mir  auf  eine  ^(einigfeit 
nic^t  anfommcn. 

SBolIen  Sie  eö  barauf  ankommen 
raffen? 

(gr  gab  5lnlaft  jum  3:abeL 

(5r  ^at  fein  ®elb  gut  angelegt. 

(S^  n)ar  barauf  angelegt,  micb  3U 

reiben. 
($r  ma^t  fid)  ^u  t»iet  an. 
eingenommen,  e«  fei  maljr. 
(gö  mirb  it)m  aU  ein  geiler  an^ 

gerechnet. 
T)a  ^aben  Sie  n)a6  Schöne«  an* 

geratet! 


He  claims  to  be  a  physician. 


That  is  none  of  my  business. 

I  begin  to  tremble  for  him. 
Why  are  you  stopping? 
He  is  proposing  to  the  girl. 
The  play  proved  a  failure. 

He  arrived  on  the  5  o'clock 
train. 

He  is  succeeding  well. 

He  has  met  with  a  fine  recep- 
tion (iron.). 

That  depends."" / 

It  all  depends  upon  your"^' 
I  shall  not  stand  on  a  trifle.    - 

Will  you  risk  it? 

He  laid  himself  open  to  criti- 
cism. 

He  has  invested  his  money 
well. 

It  was  intended  to  anger  me. 

He  presumes  too  much. 

Supposing  it  to  be  true. 

It  is  charged  against  him  as  a 

mistake. 
A  pretty  mess  you  have  made 

of  it  1 


6 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


3d)  ^atte  mir  fd)on  a((e§  angc= 

frfiafft 
^er  §unb  frf|%t  att, 
(gie  frf|lrtgctt  ba?  ^u  ^oc^  an. 
T)a^  ^at  attgcfcfjlagcn» 
(vr  ift  bet  feinen  33orgefe^ten  gut 

angcft^riekn. 
^d)  fann  eö  i^m  anfc^cn* 
@r  fte^t  eg  al^  feine  ^f(id)t  an. 
@r  ift  fe^r  ttitgcfe^cn. 
Gr  gibt  fic^  ein  ^Infe^en. 
^ei  ©Ott  gilt  lein  5lnfc^eu  ber 

^erfon, 
2öie  ^od)  fc^en  (Sie  bag  ®runb^ 

ftitcf  an? 
T)ag  aj^effer  fc^t  D^oft  an. 
Qd)  bin  nid)t  3t)rer  5lnftd)t. 
T)arüber  fann  man  nerfd)iebener 

5lnf{(^t  fein, 
t'affen  Sie  anf^annen ! 
(Sr  mad)t  gro^e  5lnf^rürf|c. 
(Sr  ma^t  5lnf^rnc^  auf  alle§. 
8ie  \)at  feinen  5lnftanb. 
'Dag  ftc^t  mir  nid)t  on. 
liefer  ^od  ftcfjt  ^^^inen  gut  on. 
3d)  ftc^e  on,  e§  ^u  tun. 
(gr  ift  in  einem  ^anf^aufe  ongc= 

fiettt. 
SKag  ^aft  bu  trieber  ongcftcttt  ? 

Stctt^  bic^  nic^t  fo  bumm  on ! 

(5r  fttmntt  immer  trieber  bie  atte 
?eier  on.  (Cf.  (5§  ift  immer 
lüieber  bie  aitt  Sctcr)* 


I  had  already  provided  myself 
with  everything. 

The  dog  begins  to  bark. 

You  rate  this  too  high. 

That  proved  effectual. 

He  is  well  spoken  of  by  his  su- 
periors. 

I  can  tell  (it)  from  his  looks. 

He  considers  it  his  duty. 

He  is  highly  respected. 

He  puts  on  airs. 

God  is  no  respecter  of  persons. 

At  what  figure  do  you  hold  this 

lot? 
The  knife  is  getting  rusty. 

I  am  not  of  your  opinion.- 

That  is  a  matter  of  opinion. 

Have  the  carriage  ready. 

He  makes  great  pretensions. 

He  claims  everything. 

She  has  no  breeding. 

I  do  not  like  this. 

This  coat  fits  you  well. 

I  hesitate  to  do  it. 

He  is  employed  in  a  bank. 

What   have   you    been    up   to 

again  ?  [so  stupid. 

Don't  act  the  fool.     Don't  be 

He  is   always  harping  on  the 

same  old  string. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


(vr  ^Qt  5lttfto§  genommen. 

Stolen  ^ie  an ! 

^en  Tag  ftrctt^c  id)  rot  tm  ^a^ 

(enber  an» 
T)er  fleine  ^rucf  ftrengt  bie  5lu^ 

gen  an. 
(5r  gibt  fic^  einen  geleljrten  Hit« 

ftrtc^, 
3:(i)  mug  mir  ©emalt  antun» 
Xnn0it  mir  ^a^  nid)t  an! 
3Ötr  finb  auf  ein  31«^^^^  ««9^= 

micfcn. 
3tc^cn  «Sie  fic^  fd)nell  an ! 
!l;er  3l^fcl  fällt  nid)t  meit  oom 

(Stamm. 
(5r  fd)i(fte  mid)  in  ben  3l)iri(. 
©e^en  Sie  an  bie  9lr6cit ! 
5lrbcit  mac^t  ba§  !^eben  füB- 
:Da§  ift  benn  bod)  3U  arg. 
:^ae  Sirgftc  fommt  nod). 
(Sr  ^t  fic^  barüber  geärgert. 
Sir  njotlen  i^m  unter  bie  5lrme 

greifen. 
3lrmut  fc^änbet  nid)t. 
(5r  ift  au^  ber  3lrt  gefd)Iagen. 
Sie  fingt,  ha^  e§  eine  5lrt  I)at. 
T)a^  ift  fo  feine  5lrt. 
5Sögel  oon  berfelben  5lrt  fatten 

3ufammen. 
(5r  ift  auger  3ltcm. 
.?)o(en  Sie  tief  5ltcm ! 
(5r  ift  ein  1)eutfc^er ;  id)  auc^'. 
^r  gel)t  nid)t ;  id)  auc^'  nid)t. 


He  was  offended. 

Clink  glasses. 

I   will   make  this   a   red-letter 

day. 
Small   print    is    trying   to    the 

eyes. 
He  assumes  a  learned  air. 

It  costs  me  a  hard  struggle. 
Spare  me  this  humiliation. 
We  are  limited  to  one  room» 

Dress  quickly. 

He  is  a  chip  of  the  old  block,     ly' 

He  sent  me  on  a  fool's  errand. 

Go  to  work. 

No  sweet  without  sweat. 

That  is  going  too  far. 

The  worst  is  yet  to  come. 

He  was  put  out  about  it. 

Let  us  lend  him  a  hand. 

It  is  no  disgrace  to  be  poor. 
He  is  an  unworthy  scion. 
She  sings  wonderfully  well. 
That's  his  way. 
Birds    of  a   feather    flock    to- 
gether. 
He  is  out  of  breath. 
Draw  a  deep  breath. 
He  is  a  German ;  so  am  I. 
He  is  not  going;  neither  am  I. 


8 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


(Stnb  (Sie  anä}'  ^ier? 

3ft  e§  an^  fo? 

§aft  bu  ben  iörief  anä)  ah^tc^t^ 

ben? 
Senn  er  anä^  nod)  fo  gro^  tft, 

tc^  ftrafe  t^n  bod). 
Sie  bem  anä}  fein  mag. 

£)l)ne  an^  nnr  gn  fragen. 
„Sie  I)aben  ein  fd)öne^  §an« 

^ier."     „a^  \)at  and}  genng 

gebftet." 
ly-  30^eine  (Sd)n)efter  lüar  auf  bem 

^aüe. 
harten  (Sie  auf  mid)! 
5luf  meiner  U^r  ift  e^  nenn  U^r. 
-3d)  l^abt  ba^  3^^^^^  <^"f  ^i^^' 

Sod)en  gemietet. 
dv  gel)t  auf  D^^eifen. 
Qd)  tarn  um  ein  3Sierte(  auf  ^e^n 

an. 
a^  gel)t  auf  nenn, 
^r  !am  auf  bie  SJZinnte. 
3c^  ging  auf  feine  ^itte. 
Sie  l)eifn  ha^  auf  ^Dentfd)? 
Qii)  lüerbe  auf  {eben  gall  mor^ 

gen  abreifen. 
^ae  l^at  nichts  auf  fi^. 
3(i^len  Sie  öon  nnten  auf ! 
53on  !lein  auf  irar  er  fränflid). 
'Die  Zixv  ift  auf. 
m^ä)  auf! 
^r  ge^t  im  (garten  auf  nnb  ab. 


Are  you  here  too? 

Is  it  really  so? 

Are  you  sure  you  delivered  the 

letter  ? 
No  matter  how  big  he  is,  I  will 

punish  him  anyhow 
However  that  may  be.  Be  that 

as  it  may. 
Without  so  much  as  asking. 
"You  have  a  beautiful  house 

here."     "  It  ought  to  be,  it 

cost  enough." 
My  sister  was  at  the  ball. 

Wait  for  me. 

It  is  nine  o'clock  by  my  watch. 

I  have  rented  the  room  for  four 

weeks. 
He  is  going  on  a  trip. 
I  arrived  at  quarter  after  nine. 

It  is  going  on  nine. 
He  came  on  the  minute. 
I  went  at  his  request. 
What  is  this  called  in  German? 
I    will  leave  to-morrow  at  all 

events. 
That  is  of  no  consequence. 
Count  from  the  bottom  up. 
He  was  sickly  from  childhood. 
The  door  is  open. 
Come  on!   Courage! 
He  is  walking  back  and  forth 

in  the  garden. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


9 


(Jr  ging  bergauf,  bergab, 
(vr  tt.)ä()Ite  auf^  @erateH)o()L 
Sir  I)aben  ein  ß^ercitium  auf» 

bdommcu» 
Gr  bietet  alle  feine  Gräfte  auf. 
Qv  Iäj3t  fid)  nüe^  aufbiubeu. 

X)a^  biube  einem  anbern  auf! 

(Cf.  ^a^  mac^ctt  (Sie  anbern 

Juci§ !) 
Söie  foK  man  ba^3  ®elb  basu 

aufbriugcu  ? 
(Jr  ift  reid)t  aufzubringen. 
Ser  I)at  biefe  2}^obe  aufgebracht? 
3el)n  9J2innten  5(ufcnt^|a(t. 
T)a^  ift  mir  aufgefaßen. 
(Sie  faffen  meine  Sßorte  falfd) 

auf. 
1)av\  \6)  Sie  aufforbcru,  mein 

gräulein? 
(5r  fü^rt  fic^  f^tec^t  auf. 
§an§  mac^t  feine  5(ufgabcu. 
§aben  Sie  bie  :Q3riefe  aufgegc« 

Un? 
(5ö  gc^t  mir  ein  Sic^t  auf. 
Saö  ^abctt  lüir  I)eute  auf? 
Qd)  f)aUt  mic^  im  greien  auf. 
§ör  auf! 

T)a  f\M  alles  auf! 
Qd)  bin  nid^t  baju  aufgelegt, 
^ad^ett  Sie  bie  ^ür  auf ! 
S^  h)il(  Sie  baranf  aufmcrffam 

mad)en,  bag  .  .  . 


He  went  up  hill  and  down  dale. 

He  chose  at  random. 

The  teacher  has  given  us  an 

exercise. 
He  is  doing  his  utmost. 
Anything  will    go   down   with 

him. 
Tell  that  to  the  marines. 


How  are  we  to  raise  the  money 

for  this  purpose  ? 
He  is  easily  angered. 
Who  introduced  this  fashion  ? 
Ten  minutes  for  refreshments. 
That  attracted  my  attention. 
You  put  a  wrong  construction 

on  my  words. 
May  I  have  the  pleasure  of  the 

next  dance  with  you,  Miss  X? 
He  behaves  badly. 
John  is  doing  his  home-work. 
Did  you  mail  the  letters  ? 

Now  I  understand.     I  see. 
What  is  the  lesson  for  to-day  ? 
I  keep  in  the  open  air. 
Stop. 

That's  the  limit. 
I  am  not  in  the  humor  for  it. 
Open  the  door. 

I  wish  to  call  your  attention  to 
the  fact,  that  ... 


10 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


.Qd)  ne^mc  e^  für  C£rnft  auf. 

3d)  nc^mc  e^  mit  il)m  ouf. 

5lufgc^a§t! 

Söarutn  regen  (Sie  fic^  fo  auf? 

9}^an  mu§  nie  aufft^iefieu,  toa^ 

man  ^eute  tun  fann. 
8rf|Iogcu  (Sie  baö  ^ud)  auf ! 
Srfireibcu  (Sie  ba^  auf! 
!Daö  mirb  3luffe^eu  machen. 
Senn  man  cttoa^  üor  fid)  brin= 

cjen  tüiü,  mu§  man  frü()  auf» 

ftc^cn. 
(5in  @ett)itter  fteigt  auf. 
Sßarum  inn  Sie  ben  3}tob  nid)t 

auf? 
T)a^  ($ffen  njirb  aufgetragen. 
(5r  tritt  a(^  gauft  auf. 
Sßomit  !ann  id)  3^^^^  aufmar» 

ten? 
dv  meubct  alle  feine  Gräfte  an. 
!Die  Sd)uMabe  UJift  nic^t  auf. 
Sie  jic^en  ha<^  ^inb  auf. 
(Sr  jic^t  bie  U^r  auf. 
(ix  mad)te  grofee  Singen. 

®e^  mir  au^  ben  5lngcn. 

Sie  überlegten  bie  Sad)e  unter 

üier  Singen. 
(5r  ift  an§  ber  Sd)n)ei3. 
Sa^  ift  an^  iljm  gen)orben? 
@^  ift  an^  mit  i^m. 
dv  ift  ^eute  on^. 


I  take  it  seriously. 

I  am  his  match. 

Attention  1 

Why  do  you  (let  yourself)  get 

so  excited  ? 
Never  put  off   till   to-morrow 

what  can  be  done  to-day. 
Open  the  book. 
Make  a  note  of  that. 
That  will  make  a  sensation. 
The    early   bird    catches    the 

worm. 

There  is  a  storm  brewing. 
Why    don't    you    open    your 

mouth  ? 
Dinner  is  being  served. 
He  appears  as  Faust. 
What  can  I  do  for  you  ? 

He  strains  every  nerve. 

I  can't  get  the  drawer  open. 

They  are  bringing  up  the  child. 

He  is  winding  up  the  clock. 

He  opened  his  eyes  in  aston- 
ishment. 

Get  out  of  my  sight. 

They  considered  the  matter  in 
private. 

He  comes  from  Switzerland. 

What  has  become  of  him  ? 

It  is  all  up  with  him. 

He  has  gone  out  to-day. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


11 


!Die  @c^u(e  ift  an^, 

■Da  fi^t  er  ia^rau^,  jahrein. 

(£r  Jlci^t  lange  au§» 

3(^  »erbe  fitter  ntd)t  au§6lctbctt. 

T)CL^  geuer  Brad)  in  ber  ^d)enne 

©ie  Brad^  in  Xrdnen  an§. 

(Sie  ift  ein  5lu§öunb  ber  ©c^ön- 

^eit. 
@r  brörft  fic^  geläufig  au§, 

g^  fiel  gut  ttu§. 

2öie  fönnen  mir  ba^  au§ftnbig 
machen? 

3Bir  maci^en  einen  3ltt§flttg  auf 
\>a^  Öanb.  (Cf.  Sir  machen 
einen  Keinen  5lbfte(^cr  nac^ 

^r  gibt  fic^  für  einen  1)i(i)ter 

au§.     (Cf.   (5r  gibt   fic^  für 

einen  Slrjt  an), 
!Da«  geuer  ge^t  an§. 
!l)ie  (S^ebutb  gc^t  mir  an^. 
'Die  §aare  gc^en  au^, 
D)iefe    garbe    ge^t  an^.    (Cf. 

Diefe  garbe  ^ält  nic^t). 
X)a^  farm  unmög(icf)  gut  an^- 

ge^en, 
-3c^  ton  e^  nirf)t  me^r  au§= 

galten, 
^amit  ton  ic^  md)t  au^fommem 


The  light  is  out. 

School  is  over. 

There  he  sits  from  one  year's 

end  to  the  other. 
He  is  long  in  coming. 
I  will  come  without  fail. 
The  fire  originated  in  the  barn. 

She  burst  into  tears. 

She  is  a  paragon  of  beauty 

He  has   a  ready  flow  of  lan- 
guage. 
It  turned  out  well. 
How  can  we  find  this  out  ? 

We  are  making  a  trip  into  the 
country. 


He  styles  himself  a  poet. 

The  fire  is  going  out. 
I  lose  all  patience. 
The  hair  is  falling  out. 
This  color  fades. 

It  will  come  to  no  good. 

I  can  stand  it  no  longer. 

I   can   not  get   along  with   so 
little. 


12 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


^t'm  ^ltn\6)  fann  mit  t^m  au^» 

fommctt» 
(8te  muffen  mtc^  nid)t  au§Iarf|cn! 
«Sie  legen  tia^  übet  an^. 

(5r  ^at  ®e(b  für  mic^  aufgelegt. 
3d)  ^abe  bag  Sirfjt  au§gcmad)t 

'^■a^    mögen    (Sie  miteinanbev 

(5§  ift  auSgeniad^t» 

!iDaö  ift  eine  Sln^na^mc  t»on  ber 

9?egeL 
(gr  nimmt  fic^  fd)(ec^t  an^, 
^d)  nc^mc  bic^  unb  mic^  an§, 
yjieine  ©ebulb  rci^t  au§, 
Sr  l^at  nid)t^  au^gcrtr^tct. 
!Da^  ^ferb  ft^Iägt  \)xntm  an§, 
üDie  :Q3äume  frf|Iagen  an^. 
dv  fic^t  gnt  au§. 
(gr  fie^t  mir  ntc^t  banacf)  au§. 


^te  fte^t^g  bet  ^f^nen  an§  ? 
(go  fie^t  nac§  fdjönem  Setter 

ans» 
dt  ift  cttffcr  ®efa^r. 
(Sr  ift  anfter  fic^. 
Zm  @ie  Qljv  anfterfteli !    (Cf. 

^6)  merbe  mein  mogltc^ftc^ 

tun), 
ÜDaran  ift  nid^tö  anöjnfc^cn. 


There  is  no  getting  along  with 

him. 
Do  not  make  fun  of  me. 
You    put    a   bad   construction 

upon  that. 
He  has  paid  out  money  for  me. 
I  put  out  the  light. 
That  makes  no  difference. 
You    may    settle    that    among 

yourselves. 
It  is  settled. 
That   is  an   exception   to  the 

rule. 
He  makes  a  poor  appearance. 
I  except  you  and  myself. 
I  am  out  of  patience. 
He  accomplished  nothing. 
The  horse  kicks. 
The  trees  are  budding. 
He  looks  well. 
He  doesn't  look  like  it.     He  is 

not  likely  to.    I  don't  expect 

him  to. 
How  are  matters  with  you? 
It  looks  like  good  weather. 

He  is  out  of  danger. 
He  is  beside  himself. 
Do  your  utmost. 


There  is  nothing  to  be  said 
against  that. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


13 


dv  ift  md)t  au^juftc^en, 
Qd)  jic^e  bie  §anbfd)u{)e  au§» 


He  is  intolerable. 

I  know  that  by  heart. 

I  (will)  move. 

I  am  taking  off  my  gloves. 


SB 


@te  ift  ber  pbf(f)efte  23acfftft^ 

im  ganzen  !l)orfe. 
Q6)  \}ah'  i^m'ö  ^ab  gefepet. 

(Cf.     1Vi7/ie/m    Tell,    1.    97  : 

Unb  mit  ber  5I^t  \)^\^'  ic^  it)m'^ 

^ab  gefegnet). 
(5r  brt(f)t  fic^  S3a^n, 
Sie  6alb  ge^en  (Sie  ? 
Satb  lüäre  ic^  gefallen. 
^iDaö  ift  balb  getan. 
S3alb  biefe^,  balb  jene^. 
5(uf  balbtgcg  2öieberfe()en ! 
3c^  bitte  um  balbigftc  ^ntn)ort» 

W\x  ift  bange  baöor. 

!^a^  muffen  (Sie  ni(J)t  auf  bie 

lange  S^anf  fc^ieben. 
(gr  ^at  mit  40  ^rojent  S3onfc= 

rott  gemad)t. 
3:c^  beja^Ie  ftet§  bar, 
«Sie  muffen  ba^  nid)t  für  bare 

Wmyt  nel)men. 
2öa^  brummft  bu  in  ben  Sart  ? 
(Sie  ftreiten  firf)  um  be^  ^aijerfg 

S5art, 
Unb  bamit  \s(a\iai ! 


She  is  the  prettiest  miss  in  the 

whole  village. 
I  gave  it  to  him  good. 


He  is  making  his  way. 

How  soon  are  you  going? 

I  came  near  falling. 

That  is  easily  done. 

First  one  thing,  then  another. 

I  hope  we  may  soon  meet  again. 

The  favor  of  an  early  answer 

is  requested. 
I  dread  it. 
You  must  not  keep  putting  it 

off. 
He  went  bankrupt   and  paid 

forty  cents  on  the  dollar. 
I  always  pay  cash. 
You   must   not  take  that   for 

gospel  truth. 
What  are  you  muttering  about? 
They  are  disputing  about  trifles. 

Enough  I  And  that's  an  end  of 
it. 


u 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


T)u  fantift  auf  i^n  Bauen» 
(Bo  fragt  man  bie  S3attern  au^. 
(5^  ift  bafiir  geforgt,  bag  bie 

Zäunte  ntrf)t  in  ben  §imme( 

tüacftfen. 
^n  ^auftft  unb  ^ogen. 
(^r  Maä)it  fid)  eine^  ^efferen. 


2Baö  foil  ba^  bebcutcn  ? 
Sa«  foil  baö  ^cifecii  ?). 
X^a«  l)at  ntd)t^  ju  bcbcutcn. 


(Cf. 


Serben  (Sie  frf)on  Bcbicut  ? 
^itte,  bebicnctt  @ie  fid) ! 
3u  S5cfc^I  (©eri^  Lieutenant) ! 


9Ba§  befehlen  Sie  ? 

®ie  ()aben  mir  ni^t^  p  Befehlen. 

Sie  fte^t  eg  mit  3^rem  S5c= 
ftnben?  (Cf.  Sie  ftel)t  e^ 
mit^^rer  ©efunb^ett?), 

3n)if^en  ben  genftern  Bcfinbet 
fic^  eine  Stür. 

Sie  kfinben  (Sie  fidi?  (Cf. 
Siegelte«?). 

(5r  ift  fet)r  begabt, 

dv  begibt  fid)  au^  ber  (Stabt. 

Sir  tt)aren  im  begriffe  ab3U^ 
reifen. 


You  can  rely  on  him. 
Don't  be  so  inquisitive. 
Every  one  has  his  limitations. 


All  in  all.     On  the  whole. 
He   changed    his    mind.     He 

thought  better  of  it. 
What  do  you  mean  by  that? 

It  is  of  no  consequence.  No 
matter. 

Is  any  one  waiting  on  you? 

Please  help  yourself. 

{A  military  form  used  in  an- 
swering the  summons  or  re- 
ceiving the  orders  of  an  officer. 
In  our  service  a  simple  salute 
usually  takes  the  place  of  it). 

What  can  I  do  for  you? 

I  am  not  your  servant.  I'll 
take  no  orders  from  you. 

How  is  your  health? 


There  is   a  door  between  the 

windows. 
How  are  you?     How  do  you 

do? 
He  is  very  gifted. 
He  leaves  town. 
We  were  about  to  leave  (town). 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


15 


(®ott)  beptc ! 

^d)  l}abe  fein  @e(b  Bei  mir. 

(5r  tpo^nt  bei  mir, 

(gr  ift  fcf)on  jiemttc^  bei  3^a^ren. 

^ti  gutem  Setter  gel)en  lüir  au^. 

bleibe    bei    ber  (Sad)e!    (Cf. 

Sarum  bleiben  (Sie  nid)t  bei 

ber  Stange  ?). 
($r  ift  nic^t  bei  (Sinnen. 
S3ci  fo(d)en  beuten  ift  alle^  öer* 

gebend. 
9fJein,  bei  Öeibe  nicf)t ! 
3^  tt)ill  feing  öon  bcibcm, 
-3t)m  ift  nic^t  hti^nfommtn. 
(5r  ift  gut  auf  ben  SBcincw,   (Cf . 

(Sie  ift  ni^t  gut  p  gufte). 
Sir  ^aben  i^m  ttjieber  ouf  hit 

S3einc  geholfen, 
(gr  ^at  mir  ein  S5eitt  geftellt. 
5luf  einem  Steine  ift  nid)t  gut 

fte^en. 
3.  ^,  (pm  S3cif^ieO» 
^öfe  S5eif^icle  öerberben  gute 

(Sitten. 
^Madjtn  (Sie  mid)  mit  il)m  be» 

fannt. 
!Da^  n)irb  i^m  ido^I  belommcn. 
2Biebiel  befommt  ein  ?5Ü^rer  ben 

2:ag? 
Sa^bcf«mmertbirf)ba§?  (Cf. 

T)a^  gc^t  mi(J)  nirf)t^  an). 
@r  bekümmert  fic^  gar  nidjt  um 

mid). 


God  forbid.     Never.     No,  no. 
I  have  no  money  about  me. 
He  lives  at  my  house. 
He  is  pretty  well  along  in  years. 
In  fine  weather  we  go  out. 
Stick  to  the  point. 


He  is  not  in  his  right  senses. 
All    efforts    are    lost  on    such 

people. 
Don't  you  dare  to. 
I  do  not  wish  either. 
You  can't  get  at  him. 
He  is  a  good  walker.  c--^ 

We  gave  him  a  fresh  start. 


He  tripped  me  up. 

Have  another  {a  seco7id  drinii). 

For  example. 

Evil    communications    corrupt 

good  manners. 
Introduce  me  to  him. 


That  will  agree  with  him. 
How  much  does  a  guide  charge 

a  day? 
What  business  is  that  of  yours? 

He  does  not  care  a  rap  about 
me. 


^'^ 


16 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


bringen  (Sie  mir  ein  Belegtet 

mtttxbvot ! 
T)k\t  (Si^e  finb   htU^t     (Cf. 

!Diefe  (gi^e  finb  bcfe^t). 
2Ba6  BcIieBctt  «Sie  ? 
Sie  htlkU  ? 

SJemü^ctt  (Sie  fi(^  gefätUgft  ^ier* 

^er! 
Waäjtn  (Sie  e^  fid)  Ijcqucm ! 
(Sr  ift  über  alle  Serge. 
Q6)  lüeig  \}kv  nirf)t  S3efc^ctb- 
!^a^  ift  eine  fd)öne  S3cfc^erung  ! 

(Cf.  !5)a^  ift  eine  fd^öne  ©e* 

ft^ir^tc!). 
3:)iefe  Si^e   finb  iefcfet.     (Cf. 

^iefe  Si^e  finb  Belegt). 
Qd}  neunte  ben  erften  Beftcn. 

Sie  Ijalten  i^n  pm  heften. 
(5ntpf  et)Ien  Sie  mid)  i()m  Bcftcnö. 
Sßaffer  Beftc^t  anö  gmei  ®afen. 

SBae  un^  Betrifft,  n)ir  bleiben 

^ier. 
!l)iefe  ^emerfnng  bejic^t   fic^ 

nidjt  anf  i^^n. 
bleiben  Sie  ^ier  bi§  morgen. 
S5t§  morgen  abenb  bin  id)  fertig. 

SBir  ge^en  big  ^ot^bam. 

(5^  folgten  neun  big  je^n  ^Reiter. 


Bring  me  a  sandwich. 

These  seats  are  taken  (engaged, 

spoken  for). 
What  is  your  pleasure  ? 
What  d  id  you  say  ?     I  beg  your 

pardon  ? 
Please  step  this  way. 

Make  yourself  at  home. 
He  has  fled. 
I  am  a  stranger  here. 
This  is  a  pretty  mess.     Now 
we  are  in  for  it. 

These  seats  are  taken  (occu- 
pied). 

I  will  take  the  first  one  that 
comes  along. 

They  are  making  sport  of  him. 

Give  him  my  best  regards. 

Water  is  composed  of  two 
gases. 

So  far  as  we  are  concerned, 
we  will  remain  here. 

This  remark  does  not  refer  to 
him. 

Stay  here  until  to-morrow. 

I  shall  finish  by  to-morrow 
evening. 

We  are  going  as  far  as  Pots- 
dam. 

Nine  or  ten  horsemen  followed. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


17 


8te  finb  alle  l)ter  hl§  auf  einen. 
(Sr  ftecft  hi§  über  bte  O^ren  in 

®(^u(ben. 
(Sie  finb  ein  fitftt^cn  frü^. 

mttt ! 

S3ittc  fe()r!  (^ö  ift  gem  Qt-- 
fdje^en). 

Senn  ii^  Bitten  barf. 

@r  ^at  firf)  Blamiert» 

(5r  ^at  feine  Blaffe  5l^nung  ba^ 
t)on. 

;i)er  nimmt  fein  fdtaü  öor  ben 
gj^unb.  (Cf.  ($r  rebet  üon 
ber  ßcBcr  met;.  @r  rnid  gteid) 
mit  ber  ^ür  in^  §au^  fallen). 

(5r  mac^t  ben  beuten  einen 
Blauen  !Dunft  öor. 

SIctBcn  (Sie  ^u  Zi\(i) ! 

7  öon  9  BIctBt  2. 

2ßo  BleiBt  mein  ®elb  ? 

(5r  BleiBt  hahtl 

m  BleiBt  babei. 

Waffen  Sie  ba§  BIctBen ! 
©ie  Ul)r  ift  fielen  geBHeBcn. 
23(ojj  id)'  Ijabe  beinen  S5ater  ge* 

fel)en. 
Qd)  ^abe  Blog  beinen  33ater  ge- 

fet)en. 
Sie  ift  ein  }ungeö  S5Iut» 
Sßir  muffen  un§  nic^t  in6  SBorf^^ 

^rn  jagen  laffen. 
T)a0  finb  mir  Bö^mtfd^c  Dörfer. 

(Cf.  :Da§  ift  f^aiiifcj^  fürmic^)- 


They  are  all  here  but  one. 

He  is  over  head  and  ears  in 
debt. 

You  are  rather  early. 

Please. 

Don't  mention  it.  (You  are 
welcome). 

If  you  please. 

He  has  made  a  fool  of  himself. 

He  hasn't  the  faintest  concep- 
tion of  it. 

He  calls  a  spade  a  spade. 


He  is  humbugging  the  people. 

Stay  to  dinner.  ^^ 

7  from  9  leaves  2. 
Where  does  the  money  go  ? 
He  sticks  to  it. 

It  is  agreed.     The  agreement 
stands.  [it. 

Let  that  alone.     Don't  you  do 
The  watch  has  stopped. 
I  only  saw  your  father. 

I  saw  only  your  father. 

She  is  an  innocent  young  thing. 
We  must  not  let  ourselves  be 

scared  off. 
That  is  all  Greek  to  me. 


18 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


!Da6  ift  feine  SBofjne  tüert. 
(Er  Ijdt  eine  gefpicfte  S3örfc» 
^ift  bu  Böfc  auf  mid)  ? 
(5r  meint  eö  nid)!  Böfe. 
Ser  l)at  ha^  §au^  in  S5rattb  ge^ 

fe^t? 
3i^  ptte  ba§  gleifd)  gern  f)alb 

gcbrntctt, 
©a«  ift  hxat)  öon  3^nen. 
!Die  5lugen  Bretten  i^m. 

jDer  9?i(^ter  hvaä^  ben  @tab  über 

i^n, 
@r  lebt  in  (Sau^  unb  23ratt§» 

(Cf.  (5r  lebt  tüie  unfer  §ctr= 

gott  in  granfrei^). 
(5r  ge^t  um  bie  (Sad)e,  wit  bie 

^a^e  um  ben  ^ei^en  23rct. 
SO^arf)'  bid)  nid^t  ju  Breit ! 
(Er  ift  meit  unb  Brett  befannt. 
300  brcttttt^ö  ? 
^0  brcttttt^g  benn  ? 
.   ßr  l)at  ein  ©rett  öor  bem  ^opfe. 

(Cf.  (Er  ift  tjcrnagclt). 
S3rittgcu  (Sie  i^m  \>a^  ^nd) ! 
3Saö  bringen  (Sie  9^eueg  ?    (Cf . 

Saggibt^g^f^eueg?), 
X)a«   bringe  i(^  3^nen!     (Cf. 

2luf  3f)re  ©efunb^ctt !). 
!Diefer  @e(e{)rte  !ann  fein  ^ßif- 

fen  nid)t  an  ben  3J?ann  brin« 

gen.    (Cf.  (Er  fann  e§  nicf)t 

an  ben  9Rann  bringen)» 


I  wouldn't  give  a  fig  for  it. 
He  has  a  well-filled  purse. 
Are  you  angry  with  me  ? 
His  intentions  are  all  right. 
Who  set  the  house  on  fire  ? 

I  would  like  (to  have)  the  meat 

rare. 
It  is  very  good  of  you. 
His  eyes   grow   dim.     He    is 

dying. 
The   judge  sentenced  him  to 

death. 
He  lives' a  merry  life. 


He  goes  about  it  gingerly. 

None  of  your  airs. 
He  is  known  far  and  wide. 
Where's  the  fire  ? 
What's  your  hurry  ? 
He  is  stupid. 

Take  the  book  to  him. 
What's  the  news  ? 

Your  health. 

This  scholar  can  not  utilize  his 
learning. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


19 


!5)iefer  juttge  aj?ann  bringt  eg 

ntrf)t  tüett. 
Sr  bringt  mid)  urn  alle«.     (Cf. 

©r  ift  urn  fetn  ganje^  5Ber* 

mögen  gcfommcn). 
(5r  Brachte  fein  ^eben  big  auf  80 

dx  fjat  fid)  umg  V'eben  gcBrcdjt. 

(Cf.  (Ir  gab  firf)  ben  iob.    @r 

tat  ftrf)  ein  2eib§  an). 
T)ag  ift  unter  23rübern  20  Tlaxi 

ttjert. 
'^a^  ift  bod)  au  Bunt. 


This  young  man  will  not  get 

along. 
He    is    causing    me    to   lose 

everything. 

He  lived  to  be  8o  years  old. 
He  committed  suicide. 

This  is  a  bargain  at  20  marks. 
That  is  going  too  far. 


^• 


3ft  4)err  m.  t^a  ?  (Cf.  3ft  §err 
9^.  ^u  fvrerfjctt  ?). 

m6)t^  u ! 

2öer  ba  fuc^et,  ber  finbet. 

Sollen  8ie  auc^  babet  fein  ? 

Sa0  ift  benn  babct  ? 

Qd)  I}atte  i^n  bafür, 

<Sinb  (^ie  baf ür  ? 

3d)  fatin  nic^tg  bafiir» 

Sag  ^aben  @ie  bagcgcn  ? 

3d)  ötn  bagegem 

^a^in  ift  eg  mit  i^m  gefommen. 

<5g  ift  ettoag  btt^tnter. 

Sag  irotlen  8ie  bcnttt  fagen  ? 
Unb  bamit  ging  er. 


Is  Mr.  N.  in  ? 

No  !     Nothing  of  the  sort ! 

He  that  seeketh  findeth. 

Will  you  be  one  of  us  ? 

What  harm  can  it  do  ? 

I  consider  him  so. 

Are  you  in  favor  of  it  ? 

I  can  not  help  it. 

What  have  you  against  it? 

I  am  opposed  to  it. 

It  has   come  to   such   a   pass 

with  him. 
There  is  something  behind  all 

this. 
What  do  you  mean  by  that  ? 
And  with  that  he  went. 


20 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


fluten  @te  fid),  bamit  «Sie  nid)t 

fallen! 
^er  Slr^t  rjui  tl)n  lüieber  auf  ben 

^amm  gebracht 
^anat^  frage  16)  ntd)t  fo'  öieL 
T)tefe§  2;uc^  ift  bidtg,  aber  t^ 

iff  auc^  bana^. 

^^  fie^t  nt(f)t  banad^  au^, 

©Ott  fei  2)onf ! 

(S(i)önen  (beften)  ^ant  I 

battle  fd)ön ! 

„^0^    ettoa«   tu(f)en?"    „3^ 

banfe/' 
(gr    fc^reibt    bann   unb  mann. 

(Cf.  dx  lomntt  ob  unb  gu.  (5r 

!ant  ^itt  unb  nneber). 
Qd)  ^meifle  nic^t  baram 
Baratt  ^abe  id)  nid)t  gebad)t. 
(Sinmal  muffen  mir  alle  baron. 
Sarum  ge^en  «Sie  nid)t  bron  ? 
jDu  mu§t  bid)  brott  galten. 

Ser  fontmt  brou  ? 

3e^t  bin  ic^  bron.    (Cf.  T)it 

^txf)c    ift    an    mir.    ^e^t 

fommt  eö  an  bic^). 
(5r  ift  je^t  bron. 
^'c^  mei§  nic^t,  mie  ic^  bron  bin, 

Sie  finb  @ie  mit  il)m  bron  ? 
(gg  ift  nid)te  bron. 


Beware  lest  you  fall. 

The  physician  has  set  him  on 

his  feet  again. 
I  don't  care  a  straw  for  that. 
This  cloth    is  cheap,  but  the 

quality  is   in  keeping  with 

the  price. 
It  doesn't  look  like  it. 
Thank  God  I 
Thank  you  (very  much). 
Thank  you  (very  much). 
"  Have    some    more   cake  ?  " 

''  No,  thank  you." 
He  writes  now  and  then. 


I  do  not  doubt  it. 

I  never  thought  of  that. 

We  must  all  die  some  time. 

Why  don't  you  go  at  it  ? 

You  must  keep  at  it  (do  your 

best). 
Whose  turn  is  it  ? 
It  is  my  turn  now. 


He  is  at  it  now  {the  work). 
I  do  not  know  what  to  think 

of  it. 
How  do  you  stand  with  him  ? 
There  is  nothing  (no  truth)  in 

it. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


21 


gg  liegt  mir  üiel  bran* 

dx  ift  übel  bran. 

(5r  mar  na^e  bran  p  fterben. 

(5r  befte^t  baranf. 

(äv  ift  ftol^  barauf. 

Q6)  freue  mirf)  frfjon  baranf» 

3rf)  gebe  üiel  baranf. 

3c^  bin  barauf  gefagt. 
darauf  Wollte  id)  ^inauS. 
Weint    §anb    baranf!     (Cf. 

(St^fagcn  (Sie  ein !). 
^r  tagt  üiel  branf  ge^en. 
SDJein  §unb  ift  mir  branf  ge^ 

gangen. 
@r  ging  branf  loö. 
T)en  3:;ag  baranf  fam  bie  dJad)' 

ric^t. 
Warans  toirb  nid)t«. 

34  mac^e  mir  nic^t^  baranö. 
^ä)   fann    nic^t   !lug    Hvan^ 

»erben. 
(Sie  muffen  fic^  barcin  finben. 

(5r  gab  ba§  noc^  oben  brcin. 

2öer  ift  bartn  ? 

^arin  irren  Sie  fic^. 

3^c^  bin  fro^  barüöer. 

Qd)  bin  barnöer  I^inaug. 

(5^  ift  fc^on  ein  53iertel  baruBen 


It  is  a  matter  of  great  impor- 
tance to  me. 

He  is  in  a  bad  way. 

He  came  near  dying. 

He  insists  on  it. 

He  is  proud  of  it. 

I  look  forward  to  it  with  plea- 
sure. 

It  is  of  great  consequence  to 
me. 

I  am  prepared  for  it. 

That's  what  I  was  aiming  at. 

There's  my  hand  on  it.  We'll 
shake  hands  on  it. 

He  spends  a  great  deal. 

My  dog  died  (for  me). 

He  made  a  dash  for  it. 

The  following   day  the   news 

came. 
That    cannot    be.      No,    you 

don't. 
I  care  nothing  about  it. 
I    cannot   make  head  or  tail 

of  it. 
You  must  try  to  get  reconciled 

to  it. 
He  gave  this  into  the  bargain. 
Who  is  in  ? 

You  are  mistaken  in  that. 
I  am  glad  of  it. 
I  am  above  such  things. 
It  i§  already  a  quarter  past. 


22 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


jDa  ge^t'£i  brunter  unb  brüBer. 

(&v  ttjeife  barum. 

(5ö  fei  barum ! 

@te  finb  barutttcr* 

jDa^  tft  aüeö  frf)on  bagciDcfcn. 

^r  ift  fran!;  bo§  bin  id)  aurf).  • 

^a§  bu  eö  JO  nic^t  tuft ! 

^ai  fid)  ®ott  erbarme ! 

^u  baucrft  mic^. 

(Sr  l)at  fie  unter  bem  ^arnneti. 

(Cf.  8ie  Ijat  xl)n  unter  bem 

Pantoffel). 
2Öa^  Ijaht  id)  batjon  ? 
i8ie  finb  glitdli^  batimigcfom» 

tuen, 
^ajtt  lüirb'ö  nid)t  fommen. 
Sie  ift  er  baju  gefommen  ? 
(5r  ift  ein  ^fel  unb  nod)  ein 

grower  baju, 
3fd)  ftrecfe  mic^  nad)  ber  ^crfe. 

(Sie  fpielen  unter  einer  2)eife. 

2)e«F  mal  einer ! 
So  benlen  @ie  ()in  ? 

(5«  ift  3U  ber  unb  ber  ©tunbe 

gefd)et}en. 
3e  mel)r  man  ^t,  befto  me^r 

tt)iU  man  ^aben. 
^a^  ttjar  einmal'  beutfdi  gerebet! 
Somit  !ann  id)  3f)nen  bieuett  ? 
Sopbiente«? 


E^  ery  thing  is  topsy-turvy  there. 

He  knows  of  it. 

So  be  it,  then. 

They  are  among  the  number. 

We  have  had  all  that  before. 

He  is  sick;  so  am  I. 

Mind  you  don't  do  it. 

God  be  merciful  t 

I  pity  you. 

He  has  her  under  his  thumb. 


What  do  I  get  by  it  ? 

You  had  a  lucky  escape. 

It  won't  go  as  far  as  that. 

How  did  he  come  by  it? 

He  is  an  ass  and  a  big  one  at 
that. 

I  cut  my  coat  according  to  my 
cloth. 

They  are  hand  and  glove  to- 
gether. 

Just  think ! 

What  are  you  thinking  of?  You 
are  entirely  mistaken. 

It  happened  at  such  and  such 
an  hour. 

The  more  one  has,  the  more 
one  wants. 

That  was  plain  talking. 

What  can  I  do  for  you  ? 

What's  the  good  of  it? 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


23 


^amit  ift  mir  nirf)t  gcbicnt 

(Sie  ift  guter  'i^in^t. 

(5^  gel^t  nic^t  mit  rediten  2)tttgctt 

filler  guten  2)ittgc  finb  brei. 
3d)  bin  tüieber  gefunb,  boc^  mug 
ic^  mi^  fe^r  in  ac^t  nel)men. 
Ä^ommen  (Sie  bo(i^ ! 
(Sie  lüiffen  boc^,  bag  er  fort  ift  ? 

„Riffen  (Sie  e^   benn  nic^t?" 

„iSagc   mir'ö    bo(^ !"      „iyjic^t 

bo4" 
(gr  ift  mir  ein  ^orn  im  3luge. 
^r  fann  ni^t  bi^  brct  gcit)(en. 

^rücfe  bid)  um  hit  ©de ! 

3d)  fte^e  mit  i^m  auf  ^u  unb 

^a^  ift  bummeg  3^^9- 

äJ^it  ber^umm^eit  !äm|)fen(3^i)t= 

ter  felbft  üergeben^.     (/u^g- 

frau  von    Orleans,  1.  2319). 
(5r  ^at  bie  ganje  ^^ac^t  bnrc^  ge- 

fc^rieben. 
äJiug  id)  bur(^au§  !ommen  ? 
(Sie  lüoüte  burrj^aus  nid)t  nac^* 

geben, 
(gr  ift  burd^geBrantti     (Cf.  (gr 

madite  ftc^   au^  bem  ©tauBc. 

(5r  f)at  aici^cttg  genommen). 


That  will  never  do  for  me. 

She  is  in  good  spirits. 

There's  crooked  work  here. 
There  is  something  myste- 
rious about  it. 

Three  is  a  good  number. 

I  am  well  again,  but  I  must 
take  good  care  of  myself. 

Do  come. 

You  know  (I  suppose)  that  he 
is  gone,  don't  you  1 

"Don't  you  know  it?"  ''Yes, 
indeed." 

*' Tell  me,  won't  you ? "  "No, 
certainly  not." 

He  is  a  thorn  in  my  flesh. 

He  doesn't  know  B  from  a 
bull's  foot. 

Take  a  sneak  around  the  cor- 
ner.    Vamoose  1 

I  am  on  familiar  terms  with 
him. 

That  is  stuff  and  nonsense. 

Even  the  gods  fight  in  vaiij 
against  stupidity. 

He  wrote  the  whole  night 
through.  [me  to  come  ? 

Is  it  absolutely  necessary  for 

She  would  not  yield  in  the 
least. 

He  skipped. 


24 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


(5r  ift  burc^gefaflctt» 

't)ie  ^ferbe  ge^cit  burt^, 

(gr  ift  (im  (Seamen)  butc^gc!om= 

men,     (Cf.  (5r  t)at  fein  ©ga- 

men  beftanben). 
Senn  id)  bitten  barf, 
(g^  barf  niemanb  ^erein. 
^arf  ic^  nti^  barauf  üerfoffen? 
^u  barfft  eö  nnr  fagen. 
'5)aS  bürftc  nic^t  fc^lper  fein. 


He  failed  to  pass  (the  examina- 
tion). 

The  horses  are  running  away. 

He  has  passed  the  examina- 
tion. 

If  you  please. 

Nobody  is  permitted  to  enter. 

May  I  rely  on  it  ? 

You  need  only  say  so. 

That  ought  not  to  be  difficult. 


(gr  Wat  cbctt  l^ier. 

(5r  ift  eben  bei  bem  ^ucf)^änb' 

(er. 
(Sie  fommen  eben  rei^t. 
!©en  chm  fud)e  16), 

@t,  ha^  ift  ja  l^errlicf) ! 

@i  n^arnm  nic^t  gar!    (Cf.  SÖa= 

rum  md)t  gar!). 
T)a^  ®t  iDill  immer  fUtger  fein 

al^  bie  §enne. 


@r  mac^t  fid^  anbrer  Öeute  5lr* 

beit  gu  eigen* 
dt  mad)t  fiel)  eine  ^pxad)t  ^u 

eiaen* 


He  was  here  just  a  moment 
ago. 

At  this  moment  he  is  at  the 
bookstore. 

You  are  just  in  time. 

He  is  the  very  man  I  am  look- 
ing for. 

Why,  that  is  splendid ! 

Nonsense  1 

You  don't  say  so  1 

(The  young  generation  always 
wants  to  be  wiser  than  its 
elders).  Smarty  !  You  think 
you  know  it  all,  don't  you  ? 

He  appropriates  the  work  of 
others. 

He  acquires  a  language. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


25 


@tgcttt(tc§  Ijättt  id)  e§  ntc^t  tun 

follen. 
©igendic^   {)abe   tc^   ba^  4öud) 

md)t  gelefen. 
3:d)  ^abe  ©ile. 
^ie  (Bad)t  ^at  (Bite, 
mu  mit  Sßeile! 
Qd)  tüti^  md)t  iro  auö,  lüo  cim 
T)aö  fage  ic^  btr  ein  für  aüemaL 
Unfer  einer  barf  baö  nid)t  tun. 
(S^  ift  mir  a((e§  cin§. 
e^  fommt  a((e^  auf  ein§  i)inau^, 
ÜV  arbeitet  in  einem  fort. 
(5^  ift  mir  einerlei.    (Cf .  m  ift 

mir  ttffeg  ein^.    T)a^  ift  mir 

Sönrft). 
T>a^  fäWi  mir  gar  nid)t  vn. 
SBa^fäÄtbirein? 

darauf  ge^e  ic^  nid)t  ein» 

3d)  lüar  mit  mir  felbft  nic^t 

cinig^  njaö  ic^  tun  foKte. 
dt  ift  einige  80  ^a^re  alt. 
^r  ift  nod)  tin'mal  fo  alt  tpie  fie. 
@agen  @ie  baö  noc^  ein'mal ! 
5luf  ein'mal  fprang  er  auf. 
(Sagen  (Sie  mir  eininari 
(5r  ift  nid)t  einmol'  franf  ge^ 

njefen. 
a^  ift  nun  ctnmar  fo.  (Cf.  T)a 

eg  nnn  einmal'  fo  ift). 
a^  ift  nun  einmal'  gefc^e^en. 
können  Sie  baö  ©inmalcinö  ? 


I    ought    really   not    to    have 

done  it. 
To  tell  (you)  the  truth,  I  have 

not  read  the  book. 
I  am  in  a  hurry. 
The  matter  is  urgent. 
More  haste,  less  speed. 
I  do  not  know  what  to  do. 
I  tell  you  this  once  for  all. 
Such  as  I  dare  not  do  this. 
It  is  all  the  same  to  me. 
It  all  amounts  to  the  same. 
He  works  unceasingly. 
It  is  all  the  same  to  me. 


I  never  thought  of  such  a  thing. 
The    (very)    idea  (of   such   a 

thing)  ! 
I  cannot  agree  to  that. 
I  was  uncertain  as  to  what  I 

should  do. 
He  is  some  8o  years  old. 
He  is  twice  as  old  as  she. 
Say  that  again. 
All  at  once  he  jumped  up. 
Just  tell  me. 
He  was  not  even  sick. 

It  is  so  and  it  cannot  be  helped , 

What  is  done  can't  be  undone. 
Do  you  know  the  multiplica- 
tion table  ? 


26 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


ßr  mug  fic^  barnac^  einritzten» 
©r^cttfctt  (Sie  mir  ein  ! 

Sr^lagen  (Sie  ein !    (Cf.  9J?eine 

§anb  baranf !). 
Söir  fc^lugen  einen  anberen  Seg 

ein, 
3(f)  tt)i({  ben  -53rlef  einfd^rciicn 

(äffen. 
3d)  ftc^c  nur  für  ntic^  felbft  cim 
^inftcigen  nacf)  ^re^ben !    (Cf. 

OJ^üffen  lüir  l)ter  naä)  %ad}tn 

nmftcigcn  ?). 
Sir  tüerben  ^eute  ahtn'i)  in  ©am^' 

bürg  eintreffen, 
tein  dintritt ! 
3cZ  bin  bamit  einöerftanben. 
Sa§  ijahtn  Sie  bagegen  cinsn^ 

hjenben  ? 
9^ot  brirf)t  @ifen. 
^ä)  em^fe^Ie  micf)  (3J)nen). 
©m^fe^kn    Sie    mic^    ^i)xtv 

grau  3J^utter. 
@nbe  gut,  al(e^  gut. 
(5^  gel^t  mit  il)m  gu  ©nbe. 
5lm  @nt)c  bin  \dß  gen)efen,  ber 

!4)iefer  9^0(f  ift  mir  su  eng. 
Sein  ^ame  ift  mir  entfalten. 

SÖir  toollen  i!)m  entgegengehen. 
(5d  foH  3Znen  babei  nic^t^J  cnt« 
ge^en* 


He    must    make    his   arrange 

ments  accordingly. 
Pour  out  a  glass  (of  wine)  for 

me. 
Shake  hands  on  it.     ( Urging^ 

We  took  a  different  road.    We 

tried  other  means. 
I  am  going  to  have  the  letter 

registered. 
I  answer  only  for  my  own  acts. 
All  aboard  for  Dresden. 


We  shall  arrive  at  Hamburg 

this  evening. 
No  admission. 
I  agree  to  that. 
What     objections     have    you 

against  it  ? 
Necessity  knows  no  law. 
Good-bye. 
Remember  me  to  your  mother. 

All's  well  that  ends  well. 

He  is  on  his  last  legs. 

You'll  end  up  by  saying  that  it 

was  I  who  .  .  . 
This  coat  fits  me  too  tight. 
His    name    has    slipped    my 

memory. 
Let  us  go  to  meet  him. 
You  shall  lose  nothing  by  it. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


27 


(Sr  fo((  e6  mir  entgelteiu 

3c()  fonnte  mid)  torn  be^  l^a= 

djen^  enthalten, 
©ntfc^ulbtgcn  (^ie ! 
!DaB  (Bott  erbarme ! 
^urcf)   ©rfa^rung    tüirb    man 

Hug. 
Scf)  öerbteibe  Q\}v  ergebenfter 

T)ieTier. 
®ut,  ba§  «Sie  mid)  baran  erin» 

tterit» 
Qd)  Ijahe  mtc^  erfriltct 
©rlauBen  «Sie ! 

3ft  ba^  3^r  ©rnft  ? 

-3d)  bin  anf^  9?eiten  er^jtc^t 

(So  ift  erft  l)a(b  ^iüct. 
3c^  l)abe  t^n  erft  geftern  gefe^en, 
f!    (5r  fommt  erft  morgen. 

Säre  id)  nur  erft  ^u  §aufe ! 
^d)  n)i((  erft  fragen. 
9^un  erft  fiel  e§  mir  ein. 
"^a^  mad)t  bie  ©ac^e  erft  rec^t 

fd)(imm. 
9^un  tue  ic^  e^  erft  red)t  uic^t. 
(Sr  ift  ein  ©r^bummfopf. 
3^1^  bin  e§. 
@§  lebe  ber  tönig ! 
@^  fingt  iemanb. 

m  !(opft. 

!Du  ^aft  e§  gut. 


I'll  make  him  suffer  for  it. 
I    could   scarcely   keep   from 

laughing. 
I  beg  your  pardon. 
God  preserve  us  1 
A  burnt  child  dreads  the  fire. 

I  am  respectfully  yours. 

I  am  glad  that  you  remind  me 
of  it. 

I  have  caught  cold. 

Permit  me.  I  beg  your  par- 
don. 

Do  you  mean  it  ? 

I  am  passionately  fond  of 
horseback  riding. 

It  is  only  half-past  one. 

I  saw  him  only  yesterday. 

He  will  not  come  before  to- 
morrow. 

If  I  were  only  at  home. 

I  will  ask  first. 

Not  till  then  did  it  occur  to  me. 

That  makes  it  all  the  worse. 

Now  I  won't  do  it  at  all. 
He  is  a  regular  blockhead. 
It  is  I. 

Long  live  the  king  I 
Somebody  is  singing. 
Some  one  is  knocking. 
You  are  well  off.     You  have 
an  easy  time  of  it. 


28 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


(5r  meint  c^  cjut  mit  bir, 

ÜV  ift  arm,  ic^  bin  e§  and), 

^d)  hin  c^3  miibe. 

m  gibt  (ift,  finb)  .  ,  . 

„Sinb  @ie  Öe^rer?"  ,,3^  bin 
eg," 

äöir  iDoKen  ju  2J^ittag  cffcn, 

T)er  a}^enfd)  ift,  \m^  er  t^t. 
(7%<?  dictum  of  Ludwig 
Feuer b  ach  ^  18^0). 

(5r  ift  ctrtja  30  ^a^re  ait 

!Den!en  (Sie  ni(^t  etwa,  ba^  .  .  . 

§aben  (Sie  je  fo  etitia^  ge{)ört  ? 

Siffen  Sie  ettoa^  9^ene^  ? 

©uleit  nac^  5lt()en  tragen. 

!Daranö  inirb  eiutg  nid)t^. 

(5r  ^at  fein  %ameit  beftan- 
ben.  (Cf.  (5r  ift  (im  gra- 
men) burrfjgefommen). 


He  means  well  by  you. 

He  is  jDOor ;  so  am  I, 

1  am  tired  of  it. 

There  is  (are)  .  .  . 

"  Are    you    a    teacher?  "     '•  I 

am." 
Let  us  eat  dinner. 
Tell  me  what  you  eat,  and  I 

will  tell  you  what  you  are. 

He  is  about  30  years  old. 
You  must  not  think  that  .  .  . 
Did  you  ever  hear  the  like  ? 
Have  you  any  news  ? 
To  carry  coals  to  Newcastle. 
That's  out  of  the  question. 
He  passed  his  examination. 


?? 


!Da§  ift  nic^t  mein  fyarfj. 

(S^  ift  !ein  guter  S^ben  an  i^m. 

(Cf .  (5^  ift  feine  gute  5lber  an 

i^m.     (g^  ift  fein  gute^  §aar 

an  i{)m). 
ga^re  n)0^( ! 

(g^  fu^r  mir  burc^  ben  ^o|)f. 
^a  möchte  man  au^  ber  §aut 

fahren. 
(5ö  fä^rt  fic^  angenehm, 
^'c^  fa^rc  britter  tlaffe. 


That  is  out  of  my  line. 
He  is  thoroughly  bad. 


Farewell. 

It  flashed  through  my  mind. 

It  is  enough  to  drive  one  mad. 

This  is  nice  traveling. 
I  travel  third  class. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


29 


^a§  ift  ber  gatt, 

@e^en  @ie  ben  gatt, 

(Sollten  ®ie  je  in  hen  %aU  !om* 

men. 
®aö  n)trb  er  auf  feinen  gaß  tun. 

3d)  bin  auf  alle  gädc  gefaxt, 
(gr  ift  nid)t  auf  ben  ^opf  ßc* 

fatten, 
dt  fiel  mir  inö  9Bort. 

Dftern  faßt  bie«  3at)r  frü^. 
®a§  fättt  fog(eic^  in  bie  klugen. 

@r  ift  ber  ©emeinbe  gur  ^aft 

gcfoöcn» 
(g§  faßt  mir  f^njer. 
^r  fiel  fi(^  *^en  5lrm  au§  bem 

©eleu!. 
(5§  finb  3tt)ei  (Scfjüffe  gefallen, 
^er  Sm  tft  fötttö^ 
T)ae  ift  falfc^. 
(gie  fprec^en  ba§  ^ort  falfd^ 

aue. 
(Sie  fingt  falf(^. 
2ßie  gel)t  eö  3^rer  gamilie  ? 
5)a§  liegt  in  ber  Sßmtlie. 
Sie  t)aben  einen  guten  Jang  ge* 

tan. 
@r  fängt  gleich  geuer. 
So  leicht   laffe  ic^  mic§  nic^t 

fangen, 
(Sie  muffen  garBc  befennen. 


Such  is  the  case. 

Suppose. 

If  you  should  ever  have  occa- 
sion. 

He  will  not  do  that  in  any 
event. 

I  am  prepared  for  the  worst. 

He  is  no  fool. 

He  cut  me  short  (interrupted 

me). 
Easter  is  early  this  year. 
That  catches  the  eye  (strikes 

one)  at  once. 
He  became  a  charge  upon  the 

town  (parish). 
I  find  it  difficult. 
He  dislocated  his  arm. 

There  were  two  shots  fired. 

The  train  is  due. 

That  is  wrong. 

You  mispronounce  the  woid. 

She  sings  out  of  tune. 
How  are  the  folks  ? 
That  runs  in  the  family. 
You  made  a  good  catch. 

He  is  easily  angered. 

I  am  not  taken  in  so  easily  as 

all  that. 
You  must  follow  suit.     Show 

your  colors. 


y 


30 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


T)aö  f^Iägt  bem  Jaft  ben  ^oben 

^aö  !ann  tc^  nic^t  faff  en, 
gaffcn  (Sie  fic^ ! 
gaffctt  @ie  fid)  !urj ! 

liefer  ^belftein  ift  in  ®oIb  gc» 

fa§t. 
(Sr  fafttc  fie  f(f)arf  in^  ^uge. 
3cf)  bin  aufö  (gdilimmfte  gefoftt 
^r  ift  gang  auger  Söffttwö- 
dv  ift  ein  fauler  <Btxid, 
^a^  |}a§t   n)ie  bie  Jauft  auf« 

5luge. 
(ir  tut«  auf  eigne  fjauft, 
dv  !jat  mir  eine  gauft  gemacht 
^r  lai^te  fid)  in«  gäuftc^cn. 
(5r  ^at  ben  ^opf  00U  i^aitn. 
dv  liegt  no^  in  ben  gcberm 
(Sr  ift  öon  ber  fjeber, 
!5)amit  ^at  er  tt)enig  gcbcrlefen« 

gemacht, 
SBer  fe^lt  ? 
Sa«fe^(t  3?t)nen?    (Cf.  Sa« 

^ftbu  benn?). 
ig«  fc^a  i^nt  an  ®elb. 
©a«  fehlte  nur  noi^. 
^«  fann  mir  nic^t  fehlem 
SBeit  gefehlt ! 
(5«  ift  fe^Igefr^Iagcm 
@ie  begel)en  biefen  i^tf^Ux  jebe«* 

maL 


That  spoils  the  whole  business. 

That's  the  last  straw. 
I  can  not  understand  that. 
Compose  yourself. 
Make    your    statenient   brief. 

Cut  it  short. 
This  jewel  is  mounted  in  gold. 

He  looked  at  her  sharply. 
I  am  prepared  for  the  worst. 
He  is  quite  beside  himself. 
He  is  a  lazybones. 
There   is   neither   rhyme    nor 

reason  in  it. 
He  does  it  on  his  own  hook. 
He  shook  his  fist  in  my  face. 
He  laughed  in  his  sleeve. 
He  is  full  of  tricks. 
He  is  still  in  bed. 
He  is  a  literary  man. 
He  made  short  work  of  it. 

Who  is  absent  ? 

What  is  the  matter  with  you  ? 

He  is  short  of  cash. 
That  caps  the  climax. 
I  can  not  fail. 

You  are  far  from  the  mark. 
It  miscarried. 

You  make  this  mistake  every 
time. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


31 


3etit  machen  irtr  getcrabcub» 

^ie  5lrbeiter  feiern. 
T)a  ift  ntc^t  ju  feiern. 
3t)m  ift  aik^  feil. 

!5)a^  ift  ntc^t  fein. 

(Sei  fein  artig!  (Cf.  ©ei  ^übfrf) 

artig !). 
(5r  ift  it)m  feinb. 
(Sie  mugten  ba^  5e(b  räumen, 
^er  geinb  rücfte  in§  Selb. 
^er  Ä^erl  {)at  ein  bide«  geK. 
T^ie  großen  S^^i^n  banern  jnjei 

9JZonate. 
31:^  ^o(te  mid)  fern. 
'^a^  liegt  mir  fern. 
gr  t'ommt  au^  tüilbefter  5^^«^* 

^a^  liegt  nod)  in  tneiter  gerne. 

(5r  folgt  mir  auf  bm  gerfen. 
T^a^  offen  ift  fertig. 
äÖir  finb  fi^  unb  fertig. 
3Nemanb  bringt  e^  fertig. 
3:^  bin  mit  il)m  fertig. 
Siet),  n)ie  bu  fertig  mirft ! 

Wadjcn  «Sie  fi^  fertig. 
können  (Sie  mir  gcner  geben  ? 
(Sr  geriet  in  gener. 
!SDag  !ann  er  auö  bem  gg. 


Now  we  will  stop  work  for  the 
day.  [day. 

The  workmen  are  taking  a  holi- 

There  is  no  time  to  be  lost. 

He  thinks  everything  can  be 
bought  with  money. 

That  is  not  nice. 

Be  very  good. 

He  is  hostile  to  him. 
They  were  forced  to  yield. 
The  enemy  took  the  field. 
That  fellow  is  thick-skinned. 
The  summer  vacation  lasts  two 

months. 
I  keep  aloof. 

I  should  never  think  of  it. 
He  comes  from  the  remotest 

corner  of  the  earth. 
It  will  be  a  long  time  before 

that  happens. 
He  is  close  at  my  heels. 
Dinner  is  ready. 
We  are  quite  ready. 
No  one  can  do  it. 
I  have  done  with  him. 
You  will  have  to  get  along  the 

best  you  can. 
Get  ready. 

Can  you  give  me  a  light  ? 
He  flared  up. 
He  is  A I  at  that. 


1s 


32 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


yy 


(Sie  tft  !urj  öon  %\%\\x* 

(5§  !ann  fid)  ntd)t^  (Sc^önereö 

ftnbcn, 
(gr  meig  fic^  in  a((e^  ^u  finbcn» 

9}^ir  fagf Ö  mein  !(einer  gtugcr» 
@ie  fel)ett  3^)^'^^^   l^inbern  ^u 

Diet  burc^  bie  ginget. 
^JJ^an  fann  eö  an  ben  giugcnt 

abjagten,  bag  .  .  . 
ginger  baüon !    (Cf.  §änbe  '^^x-- 

t)on!). 
aJZad)t  nic^t  fo  öiel  gifimotcn* 

ten! 

!Da^  liegt  auf  ber  flatten  ©anb. 

!Da§  finb  glaufcn ! 

(5r  ^at  baö  geq  auf  bem  re(f)ten 

Slerf. 
3cft  ^abe  e^  nic^t  mit  gktg  ge^ 

tan. 
(Sr  fdjlcigt  ^irei  glicgcn  mit  einer 

Etappe. 
@r  ift  ein  fCotter  :^urfc^e. 
!Dort  gel)t  eg  flott  ^er. 
(5r  tuurbe  flitt^tig* 
Sßa§  folgt  baraue  ? 

Sag  forbern  @ie  ? 
gr  fdjrieb  ru^ig  fort» 
gort  mit  bir ! 
(Sie  iDaren  fc^on  fort» 
^ir  muffen  fort» 


She  is  short  in  stature. 

There  can  be  nothing  more 
beautiful. 

He  knows  how  to  accommo- 
date himself  to  everything. 

A  little  bird  told  me. 

You  are  too  indulgent  to  your 
children. 

You  can  easily  guess  that  .  .  . 

Hands  ofif. 

Don't  make  so  much  fuss. 

Be  quick ! 

That's  plain  as  daylight. 

That  is  all  humbug. 

His  heart  is  in  the  right  place. 

I  did  not  mean  to  do  it. 

He  kills  two  birds  with  one 

stone. 
He  is  a  gay  fellow. 
They  have  a  gay  time  there. 
He  absconded. 
What  follows  from  that  ?  What 

is  the  conclusion  ? 
How  much  do  you  charge  ? 
He  kept  on  writing. 
Be  gone ! 

They  had  already  gone. 
We  must  be  going. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


38 


men  ! 

(Sr  fommt  nic^t  gut  fort* 
gortfc^uitg  folgt. 
(Stellen  (Bit'  bte  ?Jvagctt  ! 
^d)  frage  feinen  Äjelter  banac^. 
(vö  fragt  fic^,  ob  .  .  . 
3d)  bin  frani  unb  frei. 
S\t  ber  iörief  franHert  ? 
Syian  n)enbe  fic^  fc^riftlic^  nnb 

franfo  an  9^.  'JJ. 
3:ft  5rau  9?.  au  ©aufe  ? 
^utfi^er,  finb  (Sie  frei  ? 
(5r  aei(^net  auö  freier  $anb. 
Qv  tut  e^  auö  freien  ©tücfen. 
Sir  l^aben  ^eute  frei, 
^d)  bin  gern  im  grcien, 
(Sr  lebt  in  ber  ^rcmbc, 
dx  tarn  erft    neulid)  auö  ber 

fjrcmbe. 
(5r  ^at  einen  9^arren  an  i^r  ge= 

freffctt. 
3:)er  9}^enf(^  igt ;  ba^  Xkv  frtftt. 
@r  l)at  feine  greubc  baran. 
(So  freut  nti{^,  (Sie  3U  fe^en. 
!Da§   ift    fe^r    freunblit^    öon 

3^tten. 
Öag  mic^  tn  grieben ! 
(5ö  friert* 
@^  friert  nttcf). 
SJ^an  fing  ben  SDieü  auf  ftift^er 

2:at. 
grifc^  geraagt  ift  I)alb  gewonnen. 


Be  off! 

He  is  not  getting  along  well. 
Continued  in  our  next. 
You'  ask  the  questions. 
I  don't  care  a  fig  for  it. 
It  is  a  question,  whether  .  .  . 
1  am  free  as  a  bird. 
Is  the  letter  stamped  ? 
Address,  with  stamped  envel- 

ope,  N.  N. 
Is  Mrs.  N.  at  home  ? 
Driver,  are  you  disengaged  ? 
He  does  free-hand  drawing. 
He  does  it  of  his  own  free  will. 
We  have  a  holiday  to-day. 
I  like  to  be  out  of  doors. 
He  lives  abroad. 
He  returned  from  abroad  only 

a  short  time  ago. 
He  is  infatuated  with  her. 

Man  eats  ;  the  animal  feeds» 
He  takes  delight  in  it. 
I  am  delighted  to  see  you. 
That  is  very  kind  of  you. 

Leave  me  alone. 

It  is  freezing. 

I  am  chilly. 

The  thief  was  caught  in  the 

act. 
A  good  beginning  is  half  the 

battle. 


X 


c^ 


34 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


W 


u 


3ci)  arbeite  morc^en^  frii^, 

3cf)  ge^e  morgen  fritJ|. 

grii^  \x\^i  fief),  lüaö  ein  SD^eifter 

tnerben  mid.    ( Wilhelm  Tell, 

1.  1481). 
©r  !am  in  ader  grii^c. 
^an  mu§  fid)  in  tie  (gadje  fit* 

öen» 
^r  fü^rt  ba^  SBort. 
@r  fü^rt  "ti^^  ®efcf)äft. 
(5r  fii^rt  bie  ^ü(^er. 
(gr  fü^rt  ein  ruhige«  ßeben. 
"hxt  Vox  fü^rt  nacf)  ber  (Strafe. 
SBaö  ftt^rt  er  im  ®ct)ilbe? 
Sir    Ijaben    einen    glüd'üc^en 

guttb  getan. 
g^  ift  funfelnagelneu» 
Sa^  für  eine  :^(nme  ift  \i^^'} 
9öa§  für  ein  grogeö  3^^^^^' 
5ln  nnb  für  fid)  felbft  ift  e§  nial)r. 
gür0  erfte  bift  bn  p  jnng. 

3fd)  fürri^te  mid)  öor  bem  ^nnbe. 
!Da^  ©ß^^  if^  40  5«^  lang. 
Sir  gel)en  sn  ^ttfe- 
@ie  ift  nid)t  gnt  gu  git^c.    (Cf. 

(5r  ift  gut  auf  ben  Seinen)» 
Die  ©efangenen   mürben   auf 

freien  %\\^  gefeilt. 
Sir  fte^en  auf  gutem  3^«§c  mit 

i^m. 
(5r  ging  fte^enben  5u^c§. 
:l)a^  f)at  meber  §anb  noc^  guf^* 
SOleine  greit)eit  ift  futft^* 


I  work  early  in  the  morning. 
I  shall  go  to-morrow  morning. 
Early  practice  makes  the  mas- 
ter. 

He  came  early  in  the  morning 
We   must    accommodate   our- 
selves to  the  situation. 
He  is  spokesman. 
He  conducts  the  business. 
He  keeps  the  books. 
He  leads  a  quiet  life. 
The  door  opens  on  the  street. 
What  mischief  is  he  up  to  ? 
We  made  a  lucky  find. 

It  is  brand  new. 

What  kind  of  (a)  flower  is  this  ? 

What  a  large  room  1 

In  the  abstract  it  is  true. 

In  the  first  place  you  are  too 

young. 
I  am  afraid  of  the  dog. 
The  house  is  40  feet  long. 
We  are  going  afoot. 
She  is  a  poor  walker. 

The  prisoners  were  set  free. 

We   are   on  good  terms  with 

him. 
He  went  immediately,     [to  it. 
This  has  neither  head  nor  tail 
My  freedom  is  gone. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


85 


m 


1)er  ift  ein  ßJalgcnftrid 
Die  Q^aUt  läuft  tl)m  über. 
^a^  wixb  iDieber  in  Q^an^  fom- 

men. 
Sotten  (Sie  einen  @ang  für  mid) 

maii)en? 
ßr  ge^t  nod)  feinen  alten  (^aitg* 
!Da«  (gffen   beftanb   au§   fünf 

03ängctt, 
:DaS  ift  bei  un§  gang  unb  gäbe. 

3c^  bin  ^ier  90115  fremb. 

3d)  bin  ganj  unb  gar  öerlaffem 

Da^  gteifc^  ift  nic^t  gar, 

Sd)  l)abe  gar  fein  ®e(b. 

3d)  bin  gar  ju  fro^. 

(är  ift  franf,  ober  gar  fd)on  tot. 

Sßarumnic^t  gar !  (Cf.  @i  marum 

nic^t  gar!), 
^r  l)at  il)m  t^m  Voraus  gemad)t. 

3d)  bin  bd  meinem  ^reunb  gu 

ejaftc. 
2öir  baben  beute  ^äftc, 
(gr  gafticrt  a(^  gauft. 
?^rau  9^.,  geborene  (S(^ut^. 
Vergibt  (bie  Garten)? 
@ott  gebe,  baf^  .  .  . 
3Ba^  fur  ein  ^Stücf  n)irb  f)eute 

abenb  gegeben? 


He  is  a  rascal. 

His  blood  is  up. 

That    will    come    into  vogue 

again. 
Will  you  do  an  errand  for  me? 

He  still  follows  his  old  ways. 
The   dinner  consisted  of  five 

courses. 
That  is  quite  a  common  thing 

with  us. 
I  am  an  utter  stranger  here. 
I  am  absolutely  forsaken. 
The  meat  is  not  done. 
I  have  no  money  at  all. 
I  am  so  (very)  glad.  v 

He  is  ill,  or  even  dead  by  this         K 

time. 
Nonsense  1     You  don't  say  sol         y 

He    finished    (killed,    ruined)  X 

him. 
I  am  staying  with  my  friend.  (^ 

We  have  company  to-day. 
He  stars  as  Faust.  * 

Mrs.  N.,  nee  Schultz. 
Who  deals.? 
God  grant  that  .  .  . 
What  play  is  on  to-night  ? 


86 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


Q6)  gcBc  ntc^t^  barauf. 

dv  gab  ben  ^rief  auf  bte  ^oft. 

a^  gibt  l)eute  9?egen» 

3öaö  gtbt^g  ? 

5föa^  giBfg  ^J^eueö?  (Cf.  ^a^ 

Iirmgctt  @ie  5leue^?). 
:Da«  iDtrb  fid)  fc^on  geben. 

(5r  gab  fid)  batntt  gufneben. 

(5r  gab  ftc^  für  einen  5luölänber. 
^^  ift  nic^t  nte^r  ber  ©ebraitrff. 
(5^  gebricht  mir  an  ®e(b. 
Sie  famen  ®ie  auf  biefen  ©e* 
^  banf  en  ? 

(Sr  ma(^t  fid)  ©cbanfen. 

3^d)  mill  eö  i^nt  fd)on  gebenden. 

(?nb(ii^  reißt  mir  bie  ^cbntb. 

e«  l)at  teine  (JJefa^r. 

(5^  gefaßt  mir  nid)t. 

üDaö  laffe  tc^  mir  gefaöen ! 

ÜDa^  laffe  ic^  mir  nid)t  gefaöen. 
^a^  tue  ic^  3^nen  ^vl  ©efattem 
2Ba«  ift  9l)nen  gefäüig  ? 
Sßenn  e§  3^^^^  Ö^f^öig  ift. 
ÜDarf  id)  @ie  um  eine  ©efößig» 

fdthitttn? 
51e^men  «Sie  gef ättigft  ^lai^ ! 
^r  irurbe  gefangen  genommen. 
(5g  ift  gegen  10  U^r. 
2öag  ^aben  @ie  gegen  i^n  ? 
(So  ift  nid)te  gegen  baö,  n)ae  ic^ 

fal). 


I  think  nothing  of  it. 
He  mailed  the  letter. 
It  will  rain  to-day. 
What  is  the  matter  ? 
What's  the  news  ? 

That  will  come  all  right  in 
course  of  time. 

He  put  up  with  it.  He  ac- 
quiesced in  it. 

He  pretended  to  be  a  foreigner. 

It  is  no  longer  customary. 

I  am  short  of  money. 

How  did  you  come  to  think  of 
it? 

He  worries. 

I'll  make  him  pay  for  it. 

Now  my  patience  is  at  an  end. 

There  is  no  danger. 

I  do  not  like  it. 

Capital!  That's  something 
like  I 

I  won't  put  up  with  that. 

I  do  this  to  please  you. 

What  can  I  do  for  you  ? 

If  you  please. 

May  I  ask  a  favor  of  you  ? 

Please  be  seated. 
He  was  taken  prisoner. 
It  is  about  ID  o'clock. 
What  have  you  against  him  ? 
It    is    nothing  compared  with 
what  I  saw. 


GERMAxN  IDIOMS 


3t 


3m  Qk^tnttit 

Sie  gc^t   e«?    (Cf.   $Bie   bc= 

finbcn  ^ie  fi^  ?). 
(5^  ge^t  fdjOtt  tnö  öterte  3a^n 
!t)arüber  gcfjt  ntc^t^. 
:5)ag  genfter  gc^t  nac^  ^Süben. 

Xutt  «Sie,  lute  eö  fid)  gehört. 
dx  ift  in  ben  gciftltt^cn  <Btanh 

getreten. 
^elb  regiert  bie  Seit. 
^Daju  geljört  ein  gaufen  @clb» 

(gr  fommt   mir   fef)r   gelegen. 

(Cf.  Maria  Stuart,  1.  3015. 

!l)iefer  9}^ortimer  ftarb  (5nc^ 

fe^r  gelegen). 
(^ie  muffen  fic^  ber  Gelegenheit 

bebienen. 
(g§  gelingt  mir;  e6  ift  mir  gc» 

Inngen. 
(5«  gilt ! 
Sa§    gilt§?      2Ba0    gilt    bie 

Sette? 
^aö  laffe  ic^  gelten, 
ßier  gilt  fein  3ciiiö^rit. 
3)^an  mng  e^  nic^t  fo  genau  ne^= 

men. 
(gr  fam  mit  genauer  9^ot  bnrc^. 

(Cf.  (5r  ift  mit  Ina^^er  9^ot 

bnrc^gefommen). 
©ie  muffen  fic^  nic^t  geutcrcn. 
(g^  ift  gcrabe  rec^t. 


On  the  contrary. 
How  are  you  ? 

It  is  nearly  four  years. 

There  is  nothing  like  it. 

The  window  looks  towards  the 

south. 
Do  what  is  proper. 
He  has  entered  the  ministry. 

Money  makes  the  mare  go. 
That   takes   a   great    deal   of 

money. 
He  comes  at  a  very  opportune       V 

time. 


You  must  embrace  the  oppor- 
tunity. 
I  succeed  ;  I  have  succeeded. 

Done. 

What  will  you  bet  ? 

That  may  pass. 

This  is  no  time  for  hesitation. 

One  must  not  be  too  particular. 

He  just  scraped  through. 


Make  yourself  at  home. 
That's  the  very  thing. 


38 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


(5r  tft  nirf)t  (jcrabc  mein  g^'^utib. 
Qd)  l)abe  e§  tl)m  gcrabcl)crauö 

gefagt. 
(£r  geriet  auf  bcu  (^ebanfen. 
(5r  geriet  in  @efat)i\ 
(§r  geriet  unter  ble  geinbe. 

^ie  5lrbeit  ift  i^m  gut  geraten. 
(Bit  tarn  inö  GJerebc. 

®el)en  (Sie  nic^t  ,^u  ftreng  mit 

it)m  in^  ^erit^ft» 
Qii)  trinfe  dJtiid)  gem. 
Qf^  l)abe  il)n  germ 
(5^  ift  gern  gefc^eljen. 
dv  tüirb  immer  gern  gefel)en. 
jDa^  glaube  id)  gent. 
Sie  get)en  bie  Ojef^äfte  ? 
1)a^    $auö    marf)t  gro§e   @e* 

ft^äftc. 
a^  gefrf)ief)t  bir  ganj  red)t. 
(5g  ift  um  it)n  gef^e^en. 
X)a^$  ift  eine  fii)öne  ^efr^it^te! 

(Cf.  !Da§  ift  eine  fd)üne  S3e= 

f  c^ieruttg !). 
(5r  gel)t  in^  ®efrf)trr. 
(Sie  ift  !aum  !)übfd),  gef^toelge 

benn  fi^on  3U  nennen. 
(§r  ma(i)t  ein  (ange-S  ©eflc^t. 
T)k  jungen  fcf)neiben  ©eft^ter. 

(Sie  fte^en  mit  einanber  auf  gc« 
f^anntem  guge. 


He  is  not  exactly  my  friend. 
I  told  him  my  opinion  in  plain 

words. 
It  occurred  to  him. 
He  ran  into  danger. 
He  fell  into  the  hands  of  {or 

among)  the  enemy. 
His  work  has  been  successful. 
People  began  to  gossip  about 

her. 
Do  not  be  too  hard  on  him. 

I  like  (to  drink)  milk. 

I  like  him. 

You  are  quite  welcome. 

He  is  always  welcome. 

I  can  readily  believe  it. 

How  is  business  ? 

The  house  is  doing  a  large 
business. 

It  serves  you  right. 

It  is  all  up  with  him. 

That's  a  pretty  piece  of  busi- 
ness. 

He  exerts  himself. 

She  can  hardly  be  called  pretty,      >> 

much  less  beautiful. 
He  looks  disappointed. 
The    youngsters    are    making 

faces. 
Their  relations  are  strained. 


GERMAN  Idioms 


89 


3öie  fte^t  e6  mit  ^^rer  ^efutib* 

i)tit  ?    (Cf .  ^ie  ftel)t  e^  mit 

3f)rem  Söcftnben  ?). 
5luf  3t)re    (SJcfmib^ctt !     (Cf. 

^a3  bringe  ic^  3l)nen!). 
T)a§  gemährt  einen  fc^önen  ln= 

blii. 
2a6  i^n  nur  gcttJä^rcn ! 
(Sr  lüoüte  mit  aller  bemalt  mit^ 

ge()en. 
(So  ift  i^m  3ur  ©ertio^n^cit  ge- 

lüorben* 
T)arauf  fannft  bu  (^tft  net)men» 

X)a^  fie^t  i^m  g(ci(^, 

(5r  bleibt  fid^  immer  (^Uiä). 

(gr  fam  glcit^  nad)l)er. 

Qd)  bin  gleit^i  n)ieber  ba. 

@(ü(f  auf ! 

3um    @(ü(f   ujar    niemanb  p 

©aufe. 
3d)  ttjage  e^  auf  pt  ©lürf. 
a^  ift  it)m  gcglürft. 
©lürflirflcriDcifc    (^um    @lü(f) 

lüar  niemanb  ju  §aufe. 

(E^  ift  nic^t  alle^  (^M,   m^ 

glänzt. 
(5r  gönnt  niemanb  ttwa^. 
@e{)en  (gie  in  ^^otte§  9^amen ! 
@o  lieg  er  fiel)  in  ©otte§  ^^Zamen 

nieber. 


How  is  your  health  ? 


Your  health ! 

That  affords  a  beautiful   view. 

Just  let  him  alone. 

He  was  determined  to  go  along. 

It  has  become  a  habit  with  him. 

You  can  be  absolutely  sure  of 

that. 
That  is  like  him. 
He  is  always  the  same. 
He  came  right  after. 
I'll  be  back  in  no  time. 
Good  luck! 
Fortunately  there  was  no  one 

at  home. 
I  will  chance  it. 
He  has  been  successful. 
As    luck    would    have   it    (or 

luckily)  there  was  no  one  at 

home. 
All  is  not  gold  that  glitters. 

He  wishes  no  one  well. 

Go  in  God's  name. 

So  he  sat  down,  awaiting  with 

resignation  whatever  might 

befall. 


/ 


40 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


^r  l)ört  ha^  @ro0  it>aii)jen. 

(5r  mugte  in§  @ra§  beij3ett. 
3c§  gratuliere  sum  neuen  ^a^re. 

(Cf.     mndixdjc^    ^leuja^r  I 

profit  ^eujafjrl). 
!Darüber    (äffe    id)    mir   feine 

grauen  §aare  n)acf)fen. 
jDaö  greift  fic^  mit  ben  §änben. 
@ie  griffe«  x\}m  unter  bie  5Irme. 
(5^  greift  ade«  ^übfc^  ineinanber. 
!l)ie  ^ranf^eit  greift  um  fic^. 
u.      (5r  ^at  e«  im  öJriff* 
(gr  fängt  ©ritten. 
dv  tut  gro^* 
(5r  fommt  auf   feinen  grünen 

3meig. 
dv  ging  ber  @ac^e  auf  benörunb» 

Qm  (^ruttbc  ift  er  ein  guter 

mann. 
(5r  ift  non  ©runbe  au6  fdilec^t. 
(5r  ging  gu  ©runbe* 
Sr  l^at  mirf)  ^u  ©runbe  gerichtet. 
5Iu«  biefem  ©runbe  folgt, 
bringen  (Sie  3*^rem  SSater  ^er^^ 

lic^e  ©rüfje  öon  mir. 
©rügen  (Sie  Q^ttn  3Sater  üon 

mir! 
@r  lägt  Sie  grüben» 

@ie  ift  i^m  gut. 
X)u  f)aft  gnt  reben. 


He   can   see  through  a  brick 

wall. 
He  had  to  bite  the  dust. 
I  wish  you  a  happy  New  Year. 


That  won't  worry  me. 

That  is  as  clear  as  noonday. 
They  lent  him  a  helping  hand. 
Everything  fits  (in)  beautifully. 
The  disease  is  spreading. 
He  has  the  knack  of  it. 
He  is  low-spirited. 
He  puts  on  airs. 
He  will  never  succeed. 

He  examined  the  matter  thor- 
oughly. 
At  heart  he  is  a  good  man. 

He  is  thoroughly  bad. 

He  perished  (was  ruined). 

He  ruined  me. 

Hence  it  follows. 

Give  my  kind  regards  to  your 

father. 
Remember  me  to  your  father. 

He  wishes  to  be  remembered 

to  you. 
She  is  in  love  with  him. 
It  is  all  very  well  for  you  to 

talk. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


41 


(5§  ge^t  i^m  gut> 

(Bo  ip  gut! 

i^affen  (Sie  eö  gut  fein ! 

§eute  ift  gut  ge^etu 

^a§  ()alte  id)  Sitten  gu  gute, 

T)a6  !ommt  3^i^^tt  p  gute, 

T)a§  fc^reibe  id)  ^^nen  gu  gute. 

(5ö  fann  ganj  gut  fein'. 


He  is  getting  along  well. 
That  will  do. 

Let  that  pass.     Don't  mind. 
The  walking  is  good  to-day. 
I  excuse  that  in  you. 
That  goes  to  your  benefit. 
I  will  credit  you  with  that. 
It  is  very  likely  so. 


# 


(56  ift  fein  gute^  ^aav  an  i^m. 

(Cf.  a^  ift  feine  gnte  Slbcr  an 

it)m.  (S6  ift  fein  gnter  gaben 

an  i^m). 
(Sie    liegen    einanber   in    ben 

^carcu. 
1)a  fte^en  einem  bie  §carc  ju 

^erge. 
(5r  ift  nic^t  nnt  ein  §oar  beffer 

al6  fie. 
(gg  ^at  nidjt^  auf  fic^.  ) 
(E^  f}ai  nid)t6  p  fagen.  | 
Sie  §oben  rec^t, 
Q^  f)aht  e§  int  2)kgen. 
Sie  ift  noc^  3U  ^bcn, 
2öa6  ^oft  bu  benn?    (Cf.  Sa« 

fe^It  3{)nen?). 
3(^  i^aht  e6  t)on  i^m, 
(S§  frä^t  fein  §a^n  banad^, 
Söa§  ein  ^äfdjcn  irerben  tüiU, 

frümmt  fid)  beizeiten. 
!Die  Sac^e  ^at  einen  §afcn» 


He  is  a  good-for-nothing. 


They  are  quarreling. 

That  makes  one's  hair  stand 

on  end. 
He  is  not  a  bit  better  than  she. 

It  is  of  no  consequence. 

You  are  right. 

My  stomach  is  out  of  order. 

She  is  still  single. 

What  is  the  matter  with  you  ? 

I  heard  it  from  him. 

Nobody  cares  a  straw  about  it. 

As  the  twig  is  bent,  the  tree  is 

inclined. 
It  is  not  as  easy  as  it  looks. 


42 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


($r  liegt  mir  immer  auf  bem 

§alfc, 
dx  ftürgte  über  ^aU  unb  ^opf. 
^(eib  mir  bamit  öom  §alf c ! 
(Sr  lachte  auö  üoüem  §a(fc. 
^^alf5^  9}^aun 
(Sr  ^äli  eine  9f?ebe. 
äßofitr  galten  ®ie  mi(^? 
3c^  ^altc  eö  für  au^gemadjt. 
Sdj  ^altc  8ie  frei. 
^d)  italic  Die(  lum  il^m. 
(Sie  Ijält  t)ie(  auf  (djöne  5lleiber. 

T^er  iföeitt  ^ält  nirfjt. 

T)it\t   R-arbe   ^It  uid)t,    (Cf. 

!Diefe  garbe  gc^t  au§). 
3(i)  ^(te  mic^  im  gaufe. 
@^  ^ä(t  ein  Sagen  iior  ber  3^ür. 

§änbe  bat)on!     (Cf.  Ringer  ba* 

t)on!). 
(Sie  (eben  auö  ber  ^aub  in  ben 

(Sie  I)at  ade  §änbc  üoH  gu  tun. 
^a^  liegt  auf  ber  §aiib. 
(5r  trägt  fie  auf  ben  ^änben. 


^6)  tue  baö  auf  eigene  |)anb, 

(Set)en  (Sie  it)m  auf  bie  |)änbc! 
SSor  ber  §anb  bleiben  U)ir  l^ier. 
Qci^  faufte  bie  9}löbe(  au§  3n)eiter 


He  sticks  to  me  like  a  burr. 

He  fell  head  over  heels. 

Don't  bother  me  with  it. 

He  roared  with  laughter. 

Shut  up. 

He  is  making  a  speech. 

What  do  you  take  me  for  ? 

I  consider  it  settled. 

I  will  treat. 

I  think  a  great  deal  of  him. 

She    is    very  partial    to    fine 

clothes. 
The  wine  does  not  keep  well. 
This  color  fades. 

I  keep  in  the  house. 

There  is   a  carriage  stopping 

before  the  door. 
Hands  off ! 

They  live  from  hand  to  mouth. 

She  has  her  hands  full. 

That  is  evident. 

He  makes  a  great  deal  of  her. 
He  treats  her  with  great 
tenderness. 

I  do  this  on  my  own  responsi- 
bility. 

Keep  an  eye  on  him. 

For  the  present  we  stay  here. 

I  bought  the  furniture  second 
hand. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


4S 


(Ex  tft  bei  ber  ^an's^. 

'^cv  fäTti]t  immer  ^änbcl  an. 

Um  toa^  ijan^dt  e^  fid)? 

!Der  l)anbclt  immer  narf)  feinem 


Öügen, 
!Der  JjäiiQt  an  ®e(b. 
5lUe^,  rva^  brum  unb  bran  fjängt 
SSa^  §än§rf)Ctt  nidjt  lernt,  lernt 

^an^  nimmermel)r. 
(£-d  ^^ert  mit  ber  (^adje. 
(5r  geriet  in  ^ttrntfrf). 
!t)a  liegt  ber  §afc  im  Pfeffer. 

(Cf.  !Da  liegt  ber  ^uitb  be* 

graben). 
ÜDu  bift  ein  §afcnfu^. 
@ie  ift  unter  bie  ^aube  ge!om= 

men. 
(5r  n)arf  il)n  über  ben  Raufen. 
353ann  gel)en  <Sie  nad)  §oufe  ? 
(5^  ift  niemanb  su  $aufc. 
9?^ein  33ater  ift  t>on  §aufc. 
2Ö0  finb  (Sie  in  §auf e  ? 
^ei  un^  p  §aufe  ift  ba«  anber^. 
Sr  ift  t)on  §aufc  au^  reic^. 
«Sie  ^aben  i^m  §ou§  unb  gof 

genommen, 
^r  ift  ein  fibele^  ^cug. 
(5r  ift  mit  I)ei(er  §attt  baüon  ge= 

fommen. 
Qä)  möchte  aue  ber  ^ani  fahren. 


He  is  at  hand. 

He  is  always  picking  a  quarrel. 

What  is  it  all  about  ? 

He  always  takes  his  own  way. 

The  boy  is  inclined  to  lie. 

He  is  very  fond  of  money. 
Everything  connected  with  it. 
You   can't  teach    an  old  dog 

new  tricks. 
There's  a  hitch  in  the  matter. 
He  flew  into  a  passion. 
There's  the  rub. 


You  are  a  coward. 
She  has  gotten  married. 

He  cast  him  aside. 
When  are  you  going  home  ? 
There  is  no  one  at  home. 
My  father  is  away  from  home. 
Wehere  do  you  come  from  ? 
In  our  country  that  is  different. 
He  was  born  rich. 
They  took  all  he  had. 

He  is  a  jolly  good  fellow. 
He  escaped  unharmed. 

This  is  enough  to  drive  one 
wild. 


44 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


Sie  ^ci^ctt  Sie? 

mit  f^dit  baö  auf  ^Deutfc^  ? 

Sa§  fott  \>a^  Reiften?   (Cf.  Sa« 

foK  ba«  ^ebcutctt?). 
!Da«  lüill  nirf)t«  Reiften, 
a^  §ci^t,  er  [ei  gefä^rlirf)  franf. 

(S«  fotl  ni(J)t  Reißen,  baß  .  ,  . 

§ier  Ijci^t  e«  aufgepaßt ! 

dv  ^Icfj  mirf)  fommeu. 

!Da§  ^et^t  öefal)reu! 

3:c^  !omme  l)eute  ahcn'S),   ba« 

^eigt,  treuu  id}    fann    (ba§ 

^eißt  frequently  b.  ^♦). 
e«  ^eifit  in  ber  ^ibel. 
!5)a§  ^lei^t  foüiel  mie  lügen. 
mtä  fjil]t  nid)t. 
3^m  ift  nic^t  ju  l^clfen, 
T)k  f)tUtn  ATränen  fielen  i{)r  im 

luge. 
5l(Ieö  ift  bis  auf  ben  leisten  ^th 

kr  be5al)(t. 
dv  ift  feinen  roten  fetter  tütxt 
§oI  bic^  ber  Üleufel! 
23o  finb  (Sie  ^er? 
(5«  ift  mit  i^m  nid)t  njeit  ^cr, 
(5§  ift  fc^on  t)iele  3at)re  ^cr, 
§cratt^  mit  ber  ©prad)e! 
können  (Sie  mir  auf  10  ^avl 

herausgeben? 
©§  fommt  auf  einö  ^erauS» 
©§  iommt  nid)t«  babei  ^crouS. 


What  is  your  name  ? 

What  is  this  called  in  German  ? 

What  do  you  mean  by  that  ? 

That  does  not  matter. 

It  is  reported  that  he  is  dan- 
gerously ill. 

It  shall  not  be  said  that  .  .  . 

You  will  have  to  pay  attention 

He  bade  me  come.  [here. 

That's  what  I  call  driving. 

I  will  come  this  evening,  that 
is,  if  I  can. 

The  Bible  says. 

That  is  the  same  as  lying. 

All  is  in  vain. 

He  is  past  recovery. 

Her  eyes  are  filled  with  tears. 

Everything  is  paid  to  the  last 

cent. 
He  isn't  worth  a  red  cent. 
The  deuce  take  you  1 
Where  are  you  from  ? 
He  is  no  great  shakes. 
It  is  many  years  ago. 
Out  with  it. 
Can  you  give  me  change  for 

ten  marks  ? 
It  amounts  to  the  same  thing. 
There  is  nothing  to  be  gained 

by  it. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


45 


(5r  nimmt  ftc^  t)te(  ^crauö* 
g^  ftctttc  fic^  i)cxan^,  ha^  .  ,  , 
§  ereilt! 

SÖO  ^Beti  (Sie  baö  ]^er? 
(So  gel^t  e^  in  ber  2öe(t  ^er* 
'    Sr  lebt  tüie  unfer  ^crrgott  in 

granfreid).    (Cf.  gr  lebt  in 

(Sau^  nnb  JBrau^). 
Sollen    bie    §errf(i^aftett  nnn 

fpeifen? 
S^  ge^t  alle§  mit  mir  ^er«m, 
(Sr  treibt  fic^  in  ber  Seit  ^erum 
dv  ift  gang  Ijcruntcr. 

!^orau^  gcf)t  ^ertior^  bag  ,  .  , 
^6)  tue  e^  oon  ^cr^cn  gem, 
Qd)  !ann  eö  nic^t  libera  ^crg 

bringen. 
T)a^  liegt  mir  am  ^erjciu 
TOr  ift  fo  n)ot)l  umö  ^crj. 
(5r  ^at  ®elb  loie  §e«,     (Cf.  (gr 

^at  ®elb  bie  9Kcttöc). 
33^it  ben  Sßölfen  mu§  man  ^cu* 

len» 
§ettte  morgen  !am  i(^  an. 
§eute  abenb  reife  ic^  ah. 
^cutc  oor  aä)t  klagen  ftarb  er- 
beute über  o^t  S^age  fängt  bie 

Scl)nle  an. 
ipctttjtttage  mac^t  man  e^  nic^t 

mel)r  fo. 
(5r  fommt  nur  ^tc  unb  ba. 
liDer  ^icli  fit^t. 


He  is  very  presumptuous. 
It  proved  (turned  out)  that  .  . 
Come  in. 

Where  did  you  get  it  ? 
That's  the  way  of  the  world. 
He  is  having  a  high  old  time. 


Will  the  ladies  and  gentlemen 
dine  now  ? 

I  am  dizzy. 

He  roves  all  over  the  world. 

He  is  in  reduced  circum- 
stances. 

Hence  it  follows  that  .  .  . 

I  do  it  with  all  my  heart. 

I  can  not  bring  myself  to  do  it. 
I  can  not  find  it  in  my  heart. 

It  is  very  dear  to  me. 

I  feel  so  well  (happy). 

He  has  money  to  burn. 

When  in  Rome,  do  as  the  Ro- 
mans do. 
I  arrived  this  morning. 
I  leave  this  evening. 
He  died  this  day  week. 
This  day  week  school  begins. 

Nowadays  we  do  not  do  so. 

He  only  comes  now  and  then. 
That  is  a  home-thrust. 


46 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


^er  ^ttttmcl  pngt  t^m  öoüer 

:^a6getgen. 
(§^  ift  no(^  lange  ^in, 
DJiein  ®elb  ift  (jtm 
(5r  !am  l)itt  utib  irieber.    (Cf.  (gr 

fommt  ah  unb  ju.    (gr  fommt 

nur  f)it  unb  ba.    dx  fd)reibt 

bann  unb  lüann). 
So  fott  ba^  rjinau^? 
äöie  bringen  Sie  bie  i^dt  ijin? 
So  bcttfctt  (gie  l^itt? 
!iDa  bin  ic^  fc^ön  (jincingcfatten! 
So  ift  mein  ^od  ^ingcfommen? 
^6)  weig  nid)t,  njo  ic^  it)n  ^intutt 

fori. 
So  itfoUtn  (Bit  f^'in? 
^uv  ni^t  fo  ^t^tg ! 
©ie  (See  ge^t  ^d^. 
Sir  njo^nen  brei  Zvtpptn  f)oä). 
Sie  ift  Ijöc^fteng  17  ^aljve  alt. 
(5r  mac^t  if)r  ben  §of. 
!Der  :53atIon  ging  in  bie  $öf)c, 
(5r  !ommt  in  bie  §ö^e» 
Sie  finb  auf  bem  ^olsmege, 
!Da6  lägt  fid)  ^örcit. 
Waffen  Sie  balb  t»on  fic^  ^örcn, 
§Dre  nic^t  auf  i^n. 
dv  ^örte  nid)t  auf  meine  Sorte. 
^d)  \)aht  fagen  prcn. 
Sei  ^ü6f(^  artig !     (Cf .  Sei  fein 

artig!). 
dv  \)at  aüe^  in  §üöe  unb  gülle. 


He   sees   the    bright   side   of 

everything. 
It  will  be  a  long  time. 
My  money  is  gone. 
He  came  now  and  then. 


Where  is  this  to  end  ? 

How  do  you  spend  the  time  ? 

What  are  you  thinking  of  ? 

I  am  sold. 

What  has  become  of  my  coat  ? 

I  can't  place  him. 

Where  are  you  going  ? 

Just  keep  cool. 

The  sea  runs  high. 

We  live  on  the  fourth  floor. 

She  is  only  seventeen  at  most. 

He  pays  court  to  her. 

The  balloon  went  up. 

He  is  rising  in  the  world. 

You  are  on  the  wrong  track.  . 

That  sounds  well. 

Write  soon. 

Do  not  listen  to  him. 

He  did  not  heed  my  words. 

I  have  heard  it  said. 

Be  sure  to  be  good. 

He   has   everything   in   abun- 
dance. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


4t 


J)a  liegt  ber  ^uitb  begraben. 

(Cf.  !Da  liegt  ber  §ofc  im 

Pfeffer). 
(Seien  @ie  auf  Ql}vcx  ^nt 
§utc  bic^  Dor  i^m. 


There's  the  rub. 


Be  on  your  guard. 
Beware  of  him. 


Sie  tarnen  Sie  auf  biefe  Sbee  ? 
(Sr  I)at  eine  fi^^e  Sbcc. 

SBie  gro§  er  aud)  immer  fei. 
^r  ift  hod)  immer  bein  SSater. 
Qd)  bin  noc^  immer  berfelben 

3)^einung. 
iSr  tommt  immer  noc^  nid)t. 
ga^re  nur  immer  ^u ! 
3d)  fcigte  e^  if)m  immer  lieber. 
T)it  Sonne  fd)ien  immer  geller. 

3nbcm  er  bie»  fagte,  öffnete  er 

ba^  genfter. 
33ier^erfonen  I)aben  biefe^^au^ 

innc. 
dv  f)idt  piöi^üd)  innc. 
5Öa^  nur  irgcnb  mögüd)  ift. 
dv  ift  irgenbmo  im  §aufe. 
Qd)  Ujerbe  an  i^m  irre. 
dx  rebet  irre. 

i^affen  Sie  fid)  md)t  irre  mad)en  l 
1)a  irren  Sie  fi^. 
(5r  !ann  fi^  irren. 
!^a  finb  Sie  in  ^J^rtum. 


What  put  that  in  your  head  ? 
He   has   a   set   notion.     He's 

got  the  idea  in  his  head. 
However  tall  he  may  be. 
He  is  your  father  after  all. 
I  am  still  of  the  same  opinion. 

He  i§  not  coming  yet. 
Drive  on. 

I  told  him  again  and  again. 
The  sun  shone  more  and  more 

brightly. 
While  saying  this  he  opened 

the  window. 
Four  persons  occupy  this  house. 

He  stopped  suddenly. 
Whatever  is  possible. 
He  is  somewhere  in  the  house. 
I  don't  know  what  to  make  of 
He  talks  nonsense.  [him. 

Don't  be  disconcerted. 
You  are  wrong  there. 
He  may  be  mistaken. 
In  that  you  are  mistaken. 


48 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


s 


!Da  finb  <Bk  ja ! 

^efu(i)en  (gte  un^  ja  balb. 

(5^  ift  f^tücr,  ja  fogar  untnögltd^. 

Qd)  fag'te  eg  ja* 

!^u  fc^tdft  eg  mir;  ja? 

go,  ttjag  t(^  fagen  tpollte. 

@r  jagte  fic^  eine  ^ugel  buriJ) 

ben  ^opf, 
(^r  ift  f(^on  bei  galten» 
2öenn  man  in  bie.S^^i^c  fommt. 
@ie  finb  noc^  in  ^^xtn  beften 

3a^rctt.    (Cf .  dx  ift  im  f c^ön- 

ften3llter). 
Über  3a§r  nnb  Stag  treffen  irir 

nng  mieber. 
Da  fi^t  er  ja^rang,  jahrein. 

!Dag  ift  ber  n)al)re  3a!ob ! 

kommen  @ie,  jc  e'fier  je  lieber, 
3e  gtüei  SJZänner  mußten  ein* 

treten. 
3e  nad)  ben  Umftänben,    (Cf. 

(gg  fommt  baranf  an), 
3e  na(i)bem  bie  SSerpltniffe  eg 

geftatten. 
Sugenb  l^at  feine  ^ugenb. 


Why,  there  you  are ! 

Be  sure  to  call  on  us  soon. 

It  is  difficult,  nay,  impossible. 

I  said  so,  didn't  I  ? 

You  will  send  it  to  me  ;  won't 

you? 
By  the  way,  as  I  was  going  to 

say. 
He  blew  out   his  brains. 

He  is  well  along  in  years. 
When  one  gets  along  in  years. 
You  are  still  in  the  prime  of 
life. 

Some  time  we  will  meet  again. 

There  he  sits  from  one  year's 

end  to  the  other. 
This  is  the  real  thing  (iron.)  I 

That's  the  ticket. 
Come,  the  sooner  the  better. 
Two   men   had  to  enter  at  a 

time. 
That  all  depends. 

All  according  to  circumstances. 

Boys  will  be  boys. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


49 


(gg  überlief  mtc^  MU 

T)a^  lägt  mtc^  fait 
Slbenb^  famicgie^ert  er. 
T)a§  ift  fapntt  gegangen. 
Qd)  l)abe  tl)m  in  bie  Garten  ge* 

gucft. 
!^ag  ift  für  bie  ^a^c. 
(S^  ift  !aum  3U  glauben. 
(gie  fe^en  mir  baö  9}|effer  an 

bie  Ec^lc» 
(g^  ift  feine  ai^t  2^age  feit  er  ^ier 

n)ar. 
3S3o  ^aben  <Sie  i^n  fenncn  ler= 

nen? 
(5r  ift  ein  OJ^ann  tion  grünblicljen 

.tcnntttiffen. 
(Se^en  @ie  ba§  aufö  ^erfc^ol^ ! 
(£r  ift  fcrngefunb. 
«Sie  gingen  mit  ^inb  unb  ^egel. 
@r  giegt  baS  Einb  mit  bem  ^abe 

an«. 
^'c^  mad^e  il^n  firre. 
Wlit  i^m  ift  nicf)t  gut  ^irfc^en 

effen. 
ÜDie  @ac^e  Uappt  ntd)t. 

Qd)  bin  nic{)t  gang  im  llattn* 

Kleiber  machen  Öeute. 

(3thtn  (Sie  mir  ein  flcin  wenig. 


I  was  shivering.    My  blood  ran 

cold. 
That  doe»  not  affect  me. 
In  the  evening  he  talks  politics. 
That  is  ruined  (gone,  dead). 
I  saw  through  his  designs. 

That  is  good  for  nothing. 

It  is  hardly  to  be  believed. 

You  drive  me  to  the  last  ex- 
tremity. 

It  is  not  a  week  since  he  was 
here. 

Where  did  you  make  his  ac- 
quaintance ? 

He  is  a  man  of  thorough  knowl- 
edge. 

Charge  that  up. 

He  is  the  picture  of  health. 

They  went  bag  and  baggage. 

He  rejects  the  good  with  the 
bad. 

I  will  tame  him  (down). 

It  is  hard  to  get  along  with 
him. 

That  won't  do.  That  won't 
hold  together. 

I  do  not  quite  see  my  way  as 
yet. 

Fine  feathers  make  fine  birds. 

Give  me  a  small  quantity. 


50 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


dx  tft  urn  ein  !Icinc§  grower  ale 

id,. 
T)a^  tüugte  id)  »on  flctii  auf. 
dx  fi^t  in  ber  ^Icmmc. 
^er    geinb    mußte ,  über     bie 

klinge  fpringen. 
@r  ift  ntc^t  xtd}t  flug. 
3c^  fcinn  barau§  nic^t  flug  lüer* 

ben. 
(5r  ift  mit  fna^^er  9^ot  baöonge^ 

fommen.    (Cf.  dx  tarn  mit 

genauer  9^ot  burd^). 
Qd)    laffe    meine  :53üd)er    öon 

33ei1in  fommen. 
Sie  finb  @ie  barauf  gcfommcn? 

^,     Sßir  fonnten  nid)t  ^u  Sorte  fom- 
men. 
dx  trirb  nie  ju  ttrva^  fommen. 

3e^t  fommt  e^  an  hi^,     (Cf. 

3efet  bin  ic^  bran.  !Die  ^ci^c 

ift  an  mir). 
Sie  fommt  eö,  ba§  .  .  .? 
dx  ift  um  fein  gan^e^  33ermögen 

gefommen.      (Cf.  dx  bringt 

mid)  urn  alk^). 
dx  ift  mir  auö  ben  Singen  gc« 

fommen. 
Sie  {)oc^  fommt  e^  gu  fte^en? 
(So  muffen  «Sie  mir  nid)t  fom* 

men. 
3*0)  ^ätte  e§  tun  fönncn. 


He  is  a  little  taller  than  I  am. 

I  knew  that  from  childhood. 

He  is  in  a  tight  place. 

The    enemy    was   put  to  the 

sword. 
He  is  a  little  off. 
I  can  not  make  head  or  tail  of 

it. 
He  had  a  narrow  escape. 


I  send  to  Berlin  for  my  books. 

How  did  you  happen  to  think 

of  it? 
We  could  not  get  in  a  word. 

He  will  never  amount  to  any- 
thing. 
Now  it  is  your  turn. 


How  does  it  happen  that  .  .  .  ? 
He  lost  his  whole  fortune. 


I  have   lost  sight   (track)   of 

him. 
How  much  is  it  ? 
You  can  not  speak  like  that  to 

me. 
I  might  have  done  it. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


51 


„2öarum  btft  bu  nic^t  gefom^ 

men?"    „Qd)  l)abe  md)t  gc« 

lomt" 
Qd)  ton  nid)t  mel)r. 
3?c^  fann  mid)  irren. 
Sie  Jönnen  e§  mir  glauben. 
Äann  ic^  je^t  ge^en? 
?aufe,  tüa^  bu  lannft 
1)06  fann  td)  auc^. 
tonnen  (Sie  !Deutfd)? 
T)ag  tann  id)  au^hjenbig. 
Qdj  fann  nirf)t  um^in,  eö  ju 

tun. 
3c^  fann  nic^tö  bafür. 
T)a«  fann  ii^  mir  nic^t  auö  bem 

to^fe  fd)(agen. 
^dj  it)in  i^m  ben  üopf  toa\d\tn. 
2Ba«  l)at  er  fid)  in  ben  to^f 

gefegt? 
Sir  ftedten  unfere  Äö^fe  gu* 

fammen. 
Qd)  \üiU  i^m  nid)t  an  ben  Slo^f 

fto§en. 
@r  lägt  ben  to^f  l^ängen. 
(5«  ge^t  nid)t  an  to^f  unb  ^ra^ 

gen. 
T)er  lüiü  überall  mit  bem  Äo^f 

burd). 
ÜDa«  ift  mir  über  ben  ^o^f  ge* 

n)ad)fen. 
(Sr  l^at  große  ^ofinen  im  to^f. 
©a«  mad)t  mir  ^^fjerörcd^en. 


"  Why  didn't  you  come ? "     "I 
couldn't." 

I  am  quite  exhausted. 
I  may  be  mistaken. 
You  may  believe  me. 
May  I  go  now  ? 
Run  as  fast  as  you  can. 
I  can  do  that  too. 
Do  you  know  German  ? 
I  know  that  by  heart. 
I  can  not  help  but  do  it. 

It  is  not  my  fault. 

I  can  not  get  this  out  of  my 

head. 
I  will  give  him  a  blowing  up. 
What  has  he  got  into  his  head.? 

We  put  our  heads  together. 

I  do  not  wish  to  offend  him. 

He  is  down  in  the  mouth. 

It  is  not  a  matter  of  life  and 

death. 
He    is   a   rash  (or  stubborn) 

fellow. 
That  is  too  much  for  me. 

He  has  big  ideas. 
I  am  racking  my  brains  over 
this. 


62 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


(Sie  gab  t^m  einen  ^orB. 

(gr  \)at  einen  ^ovh  befommen. 
y  (5r  ift  ein  Wann  üon  ed)tem 

(Sd)rot  unb  ^onu 
3(f|  cjel)e  bei  meinem  Vorüber  in 

bie  ^oft 
(5e  I}at  mir  öiel  M^t  gcfoftct 
^6  ge^t  i^m  an  ben  Stragcn, 
'Da^  pa^t  gerabe  in  feinen  ^ram. 
(5r  liegt  fron!  am  gieber. 
gltr  ben  Xoh  ift  !ein  Bvant  ge* 

n)arf)fen. 
(Sr  ge^t  ben  ^reBSgaitg. 
dv  fte^t  bei  mir  in  ber  treibe. 
@ö  l)at  jeber  fein  ^euj» 
,.     or  frod)  ;^u  trcuje, 

^u  iüirft'ö  aber  hricgen ! 

T)a6  fe^t  ber  <Bad)t  bie  .^rone 

anf. 
5öa«  ift  i()m  in  bie  ^rone  ge* 

fahren. 
Qd)  Iad)te  mi^  frumm» 
(5e  gibt  ^eute  nnr  falte  Mä)c. 

T)a^  tüeig  ber  ^nänä  I 

!Die  ^inber  fpieten  mnhttnf). 

$3a«  f ümmcrt  mic^  ba«  ? 

3cf)  fiimmere  mi(^  nic^t  barum. 

T)a6  ift  feine  ^m]t 
(Bit  f)aben  alle^  furj  unb  flein 
gefcfitagen. 


She  refused  him  (gave  him  the 

mitten.) 
He  got  the  mitten. 
He  is  a  man  of  the  right  sort. 

I  board  with  my  brother. 

It  has  cost  me  much  pains. 
It  may  cost  him  his  head. 
That  just  suits  his  purpose. 
He  is  down  with  a  fever. 
There  is  no  remedy  for  death. 

He  is  on  the  decline. 
He  is  indebted  to  me. 
Every  one  has  his  troubles. 
He  humbled  himself. 
You'll  catch  it. 
That  caps  the  climax. 

What  has  angered  him  ? 

I  split  my  sides  laughing. 

We  shall  have  only  cold  meat 

to-day. 
The  deuce  knows. 
The  children  play  blindman's 

buff. 
What  do  I  care  ? 
I  do  not  trouble  my  head  about 

it. 
Any  one  can  do  that. 
They  smashed  everything. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


53 


(Sie  tarn  ^u  furj* 
Qd)  3iel)e  immer  ben  furjcreit» 
^urj  unb  gut,  bu  mu^t  fort. 
(Ir  ift  öor  furjem  gefommen. 


She  came  off  a  loser. 
I  always  get  the  worst  of  it. 
In  short,  you  must  go. 
He  came  a  short  time  ago. 


2 


I 


2Ba6  9ibt'6baguIa<iÖctt? 
:Da^  ©liicf  lac^t  i{)m. 
ÜDer  3Dlatrofe  ^at  fd)ief  gclabcn» 
ÜDie  Sabctt  ber  ^äben  finb  ge* 

fc^Ioffen. 
gaben  ®ie  biefen  5lrti!e(  auf 

Sagcr? 
2Btr  n)of)nen  auf  bem  2ant^t. 
äßir  ge{)en  auf^  Sanb. 
Sir  reifen  ^u  2an'^t. 
@r  l^at  Sanb  unb  8eute  gefe^en. 
§ier  in  Satibe  trinft  man  2öaf* 

fer. 
!Die  3^it  iüirb  mir  lang. 

dt  \!jat  fein  ßeben  lang  gearbeitet. 

(iö  ift  fd)on  lange  ^er. 

@r  mirb  eö  nid)t  mel)r  lange 

macf)en. 
Qd)  ^abe  Sangcmcile. 
Saffen  «Sie  micf)  nur  machen, 
(gr  Iä§t  mit  fi^  reben. 
Wldn  S3ater  lägt  3^^^^  fagen. 

(5r  lägt  fic^'^  gut  fcfjmeden. 
3(f)  Ite|  mir  einen  ^ocf  marf)en. 


What  is  there  to  laugh  at  ? 
Fortune  smiles  upon  him. 
The  sailor  is  half-seas  over. 
The  shutters  of  the  stores  are 

closed. 
Do   you   have   this   article  in 

stock  ? 
We  live  in  the  country. 
We  are  going  to  the  country. 
We  (will)  travel  by  land. 
He  has  seen  the  world. 
In  this  country  we  drink  water. 

Time   hangs   heavy   on    my 

hands. 
He  worked  all  his  life. 
It  is  a  long  time  ago. 
He  is  at  death's  door. 

I  am  bored. 

Just  leave  me  alone  in  this. 

He  listens  to  reason. 

My  father  desires  me  to  tell 

you. 
He  is  making  a  hearty  meal. 
I  had  a  coat  made. 


64 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


(gr  Hefe  ben  5Ir^t  ^olen. 
ßaffen  6ie  ha^l 
3(f)  merbe  e§  fern  laffcit» 
^tefe  (Zigarren  laffcn  [id)  rau^ 

(f)en. 
Da§  Iä§t  fid)  (etd)t  benlen. 
(5ö  (ä§t  fi^  tun. 
@r  rt)etg  fic^  nt(^t  ju  loffcn  öor 

^reube. 
SBlr  lüollen  btr  ntc^t  ^ur  Saft 

fatten, 
@eben  @ie  ber  ©at^e freien  Sauf! 

Waffen  (Sie  it)n  laufen! 
(5r  erhielt  feinen  Sauf^a^, 

(Sie    finb    ^eute   bei   fc^lec^ter 

Saune. 
dv  gab  feinen  Saut  öon  fic^.  (Cf. 

dv  gibt  feinen  Xon  üon  fid).) 
Sie  lautet  ber  :Q3rief? 
mt  lautet  baö  britte  ®ebot  ? 

(5^  finb  lauter  junge  !^eute. 
dv  hht  in  ben  Xag  f)inein. 

@r  ujeig  5U  leben, 

(5r  foü  leben! 
Sebc  mo^t ! 

jDa6  ge^t  i^nt  an«  ScBcu, 
!5)o«  f)abe  id)  mein  SeBtag  nid)t 
gefe^en. 


He  sent  for  the  doctor. 
Leave  that  alone.     Don't. 
I  will  leave  it  alone. 
These  cigars  are  not  so  bad. 

You  can  (easily)  imagine  (that). 

It  is  practicable. 

He  is  beside  himself  with  joy. 

We  do  not  wish  to  be  a  burden 
on  you. 

Let  the  matter  take  its  own 
course. 

Let  him  go. 

He  received  his  walking  pa- 
pers. 

You  are  in  bad  humor  to-day. 

He  did  not  utter  a  sound. 

How  does  the  letter  run  ? 

What  is  the  third  command- 
ment? 

They  are  all  young  people. 

He  lives  without  an  object  in 
life. 

He  is  accustomed  to  good  so-     > 
ciety. 

Here  is  to  his  health. 

Good-bye  I 

His  life  is  at  stake. 

I  never  saw  the  like  in  all  my 
bom  days. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


56 


(5r  rebet  t)on  ber  Scbcr  meg.  (Cf. 
®er  nimmt  fein  ^lait  öor  ben 
Wlnnh.  (gr  n)tl(  gletc^  mit  ber 
^ür  in«  §auö  faden)» 

(gr  ging  leer  aus. 

3(f)  lege  fein  @ett)i^t  barauf. 

gat  er  3^^nen  etmaS  in  ben  SSeg 
gelegt? 

'^ex  legt  firf)  auf«  betteln. 

(5r  legte  firf)  in«  ü)?ittel. 

(gr  ift  bei  einem  8d)neiber  in  ber 

T)ie  3^it  tt)irb  e«  lehren. 
(5r  ^at  (S^re  im  fieibe, 
3^un  (Sie  e«  bei  Scibe  nid)t ! 

bleiben  @ie  mir  bamit  öom 

ßetbc* 
dx  ^at  Ict(^te§  @piet  mit  i^m. 
@r  er!ä(tet  fid)  leicht* 
(g«  tut  mir  leib» 
^«  tut  mir  leib  um  i^n. 
(5r  tat  firf)  ein  £etb§  an.    (Cf. 

(gr  gab  firf)  ben  Xot^.    dx  t)at 

firf)  um«  ^eben  gebro^t). 
$ßa«  ()aben  (Sie  i^m  juleibe  ge* 

tan? 
S^  fann  il)n  nirf)t  leiben* 
(ir  leibet  i^n  nic^t  im  3ttnmer. 

(Sr  leibet  an  ben  ^f^erüen. 
ßeibcr  !ann  i^  e«  nirf)t  änbem. 


He  speaks  bluntly. 


He  came  off  empty-handed. 
I  attach  no  importance  to  it. 
Has  he   put    any   obstacle  in 

your  way  ? 
He  relies  on  begging. 
He  interposed. 
He  is  apprenticed  to  a  tailor. 

Time  will  show. 

He  is  a  man  of  honor. 

Do  not  do  it  as  you  value  your 

life. 
Do  not  bother  me  about  that. 

He  can  manage  him  easily. 

He  catches  cold  easily. 

I  am  sorry. 

I  feel  sorry  for  him. 

He  committed  suicide. 


What  have  you  done  to  offend 

him  ? 
I  can't  bear  the  sight  of  him. 
He  will  not  tolerate  him  in  the 

room. 
He  has  a  nervous  complaint. 
Unfortunately  (I  am   sorry  to 

say)  I  cannot  change  it. 


56 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


(B^  tft  immer  bie  alte  Scter,  (Cf. 

(5r  ftimmt  immer  luieber  bie 

alte  l^eier  an)* 
Der  mtn\^  benft,  ®ott  lenft, 
Da§  lernt  fic^. 
Der  §err  "iprofeffor  Heft  @e* 

f(i)i(i^te. 
§eute  irirb  tiii^t  gclefcn» 
Qx  lieft  i^m  bie  Ü^eöiten. 
^u  guter  Se^t  trurbe  er  einge* 

ftecft. 
(5e  Icnt^tct. 

Da§  Icnt^tct  in  bie  5lugen. 
dv  fennt  feine  Scnte.    (Cf.  ^d) 

!enne  meine  ^a^^cn^etmcr). 
(Sie  !am  in  ber  Sentc  3J?unb. 
Die  @ac^e  mirb  anö  ßit^t  ge^ 

hxad)t 
(5r  fül)rte  mic^  ^interg  Sid^t. 
Du  Heöcr  §immel ! 
Dae  ift  mir  HeB. 
SBenn  Q^ntn  3l)r  Seben  licB  ift, 

fo  f(i)n)eigen  (Sie ! 
Sie  ^at  i^n  Hc5» 
(5e  tvcLVt  mir  Heb,  trenn  . .  , 
3d)  arbeite  ben  Heben  langen 

^ag. 
3run  Sie  mir  bie  Siebe ! 
^un  Sie  e§  mir  suHcBe. 
3:d)  trinfe  lieber  9Bein  ale  ^ier. 
3c^- möchte  Heber  fterben. 
Sie  fommen  Heber  nii^t. 
Der  Gärtner  Hcfcrt  un§  ®emüfe. 


It  is  the  same  old  story. 


Man  proposes,  God  disposes. 

You  get  used  to  it. 

The  professor  lectures  on  his- 
tory. 

There  are  no  lectures  to-day. 

He  is  giving  him  a  lecture. 

To  wind  up  with  he  was  put  in 
jail. 

It  lightens. 

That  is  evident. 

He  knows  with  whom  he  has 
to  deal. 

She  became  common  talk. 

The  matter  will  be  brought  to 
light. 

He  deceived  me. 

Good  heavens  ! 

I  am  glad  of  it. 

Keep  silent  as  you  value  your 
life. 

She  is  fond  of  (loves)  him. 

I  should  like  it  if  .  .  . 

I  work  the  livelong  day. 

Do  me  the  favor. 
Do  it  to  please  me. 
I  prefer  wine  to  beer. 
I  should  rather  die. 
You'd  better  not  come. 
The  gardener  supplies  us  with 
vegetables. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


67 


(gr  ift  geliefert, 

^iv  lk(\t  nid)t^  baran. 

Sa^  liegt  3^nen  baran? 

Soran  liegt  e^,  baB  .  . .  ? 

(So  liegt  an  mir. 

1)aran  liegt  e^  eben. 

^ie  (Stabt  liegt  nörbüc^  öon 

iöerltn. 
®o  trie  bte  «Sa^en  liegen, 
!l)ieö  ®e)e^  foK  in  erfter  Sinie 

ben  ^Iderban  förbern. 
Qd)  lobe  mir  ben  grteben. 
2öir  ftecf  en  bi^  in^  2oä^. 
(Sr  ^at  mic^  über  ben  Söffel  bar^ 

biert.     (Cf.   @ie  I)aben  il)n 

über^  Oi}v  genauen). 
(E^  lo^nt  fid)  ber  Wil^t  nxd)t 

(Cf.  a^  ift  verlorene  9Jlü^e), 
Saöiftlo^? 
^er  2:eufel  ift  lo^. 
3c^  ton  i^n  nict)t  lo§  hjerben. 
(Sr  ging  auf  mic^  lo§. 
3c^  fttge  mi(^  bon  i^m  lo§, 
gaben  @ie  3^^re  ga^rfarte  ge« 

löft? 
-3c^  ^abe  l)eute  nid)t^  gelöft, 

(Sr  machte  feinem  §ergen  ßnft. 
X)a0  ift  au§  ber  ßnft  gegriffen. 
(Sr  ^at  i^n  an  bie  ßnft  gefegt. 
(5r  ftrafte  mid)  ßügen, 
gaben  (Sie  Suft  f^jajieren  ju 
get)en? 


He  is  lost. 

I  don't  care  a  rap  about  it. 

What  does  it  matter  to  you  ? 

What  is  the  cause  that  .  .  .  ? 

It  is  my  fault. 

That  is  just  it. 

The  city  is  situated  north  of 

Berlin. 
As  matters  stand. 
This  law  is  intended  primarily 

to  promote  agriculture. 
There  is  nothing  like  peace. 
We  will  put  you  in  jail. 
He  fleeced  me. 


It  is  hardly  worth  while. 

What's  the  matter  ? 

There's  the  devil  to  pay. 

I  can't  get  rid  of  him> 

He  came  straight  for  me. 

I  renounce  him. 

Have  you  bought  your  ticket  ? 

I   have    taken    in    no   money 

to-day. 
He  unbosomed  himself. 
That  is  pure  fiction. 
He  put  him  out. 
He  gave  me  the  lie. 
Do  you  feel  like  taking  a  walk  ? 


58 


GERMAN  IDlöiMS 


^d)  mil  ttir  bte  Suft  ^um  ttat^ 
fd)en  vertreiben. 


I'll  make  her  sick  of  gossiping. 


m 


Qd)  maä}tt  it)r  meine  5lufn)ar== 

tung. 
T)aö  lüerbe  iä)  fc^on  mod)ciu 
T)a^  maä}t  nid)t^, 
Sa^  machen  ^ie? 

Sa^  ift  ba  p  matten? 

3ßiet)iel  mat^t  breimal  öier? 

3öaö  foil  ic^  bamit  marfien? 

Um  e^  !ur3  p  mattem 

Qd)  (äffe  mir  einen  D^ocf  machen» 

*ä)Za(^ett  (Sie  fic^  an  bie  5lrbeit ! 

(So  mirb  fic^  fc^on  machen, 

'^lad),  baB  bn  f ortfommft ! 

mai^  bod)l 

,,Sie  mad^t  ber  §unb?"  „3öan- 

Jüan." 
(5r  ift  ein  gemachter  Tlaun, 
(®efegnete)  SJlnilsclt! 
(Se^en  @ie  mal! 
9)Mtt  fagt. 
Wlan  flopft. 
^on  fann  e«  tun. 
(5g  mangelt  mir  an  ®e(b. 
(5r  lägt  eg  fic^  an  nic^tg  mangeln. 

(5r  !ann  eg  nic^t  an  ben  Wlam 
bringen.  (Cf.  tiefer  ®e= 
lehrte  fann  fein  Stiffen  nic^t 
an  ben  OJ^ann  bringen). 


I  paid  my  respects  to  her. 

Just  leave  that  to  me. 

Never  mind  that. 

What  are  you  doing  ?  How  do 
you  do  ? 

What  is  to  be  done  ? 

How  much  is  three  times  four  ? 

What  shall  I  do  with  it  ? 

To  cut  it  short.     In  short. 

I  am  having  a  coat  made. 

Get  to  work. 

It  will  come  right  in  the  end. 

Get  along  with  you. 

Hurry  up,  won't  you  ? 

<'What  does  the  dog  say?" 
"  Bow  wow." 

He  is  a  made  man.       [dinner. 

I  hope  you  have  made  a  good 

Look  here,  will  you  ? 

It  is  said. 

Somebody  is  knocking. 

Xt  can  be  done. 

I  am  short  of  money. 

He  does  not  deny  himself  any- 
thing. 

He  can  not  find  the  opportu- 
nity to  show  what  he  knows 
(or  can  do). 


GERMAK  IDIOMS 


5d 


(Ir  tft  mdjt  ^Jitttina  genug,  ha^ 

3u  tun. 
(Sr  ftel)t  feinen  SJknn. 
@elbft  ift  ber  9JJann» 

(Sin'  Sßort  ein'  SKanti. 

-3^r  SJiann  tvav  ni(i)t  gu  §aufe. 
!Daö  §eer  3ä^(te  jtüan^igtaufenb 

(St  I)än9t  ben  ^Zantcl  nac^  bem 
SBinbe. 

galten  (Sie  ftet^  9)iag. 

Sie  ift  über  alle  SJlagen  ftot^. 

(So  ift  mit  il)m  SKatt^äi  am  leg- 
ten. 
I    tein  Sort  me^r! 

(go  ift  nic^t^  mc^r  t>a, 

(Sr  ift  lein  ^inb  me^r« 

T)a§  Witt  id)  meinen ! 

Sie  ift  ba^  gemeint? 

3d)  meine  e^  gut  mit  i^m. 

!Dem  n)iö  id)  meine  SÄcinung 
fagen. 

Übung  mad)t  ben  S^Jcifter. 

SOlelben   @ie   mid)    bei    ^^^'^i' 
@errfd)aft. 

(Sr  ):}at  fid)  !ran!  gcmclbet. 

(gr  i)at  ®elb  bie  9Kenge.     (Cf. 
dv  l)at  (^elb  n)ie  §cu). 

a^  ift  fein  SiJlenfd^  gu  ©aufe. 

!Dag  8anb  ift  feit  9Jlcnf(^|cn  (^e- 
benfen  frei  gen)efen. 


He    has    not    the    courage 

(strength)  to  do  this. 
He  holds  his  (own)  ground. 
If  you  want  anything  done,  do 

it  yourself. 
An  honest  man  is  as  good  as 

his  word. 
Her  husband  was  not  at  home. 
The    army    numbered    20,000 

men. 
He  is  a  time-server. 

Always  keep  within  bounds. 
She  is  proud  beyond  measure. 
It  is  all  up  with  him. 

Not  another  word. 

There  is  nothing  left. 

He  is  no  longer  a  child. 

I  should  say  so. 

What  do  you  mean  by  that  ? 

I  mean  well  by  him. 

I  will  give  him  a  piece  of  my 

mind. 
Practice  makes  perfect. 
Announce  me  to  your  mistress. 

He  reported  sick. 
He  has  lots  of  money. 

There  is  not  a  soul  at  home. 
The    country   has    been    free 
from  time  immemorial. 


60 


GERMAN  miOMS 


(Sollte  mir  toa^  SKenfc^Hc^c^  be= 

gegnen. 
9Jlcr!ctt(Sie  fid)  baö! 
(Sr  Ue§  fic^  ha^  nid)t  merfcn» 


3c^  fc^tcfte  bie  ^ürfjer  mit  ber 

^oft. 
SöolIetifSie  mithalten? 
kommen  Sie  mit? 
©fielen  (Sie  mit? 

SBo  mog  er  ha^  gel^ört  ^oben  ? 
3^d)  mag  nirf)t  ge^en. 
3rf)  möchte  gern  au^gef)en. 
ga^ren  (Sie  mögü^ft  fc^nelf ! 
3d)  werbe  mein  möglic^ftcö  tun. 

(Cf.   ^un  (Sie  Qi^v  aufecr« 

ftc§!). 
!iDie  Sac^e  ift  ber  Wnf^t  totxt 
m  ift  üerlorene  Wnfjt.   (Cf.  @S 

Ui^ni  fic^  ber  9«ü()e  nicf)t). 
(5r  n)ei§  reinen  SKunb  gu  l^alten. 

Sie  reben  il)m  nad)  bem  SKunbc, 
<Sie  nehmen  mir  \)a^  ^ort  au^ 

bem  SO^uttb» 
!Daö  ift  auf  mid)  gemünst. 
9Berma(^t9«ttfif? 
^6)  muß  na(^  Berlin. 
Qä)  mu^te  e§  tun,  ^ 

3t^  ^abe  e§  tun  muffen. ) 
®erabe  il)n  mugte  id)  treffen. 


If  anything  unforeseen  should 

happen  to  me. 
Mark  that. 
He  didn't  show  that  he  knew 

anything  about  it.     (Cf.  He 

didn't  let  on). 
I  sent  the  books  by  mail. 

Will  you  join  us  ? 

Are  you  coming  along  ? 

Will  you  join  us  in   a  game? 

Are  you  playing  ? 
Where  can  he  have  heard  it  ? 
I  do  not  wish  to  go. 
I  should  like  to  go  out. 
Drive  as  fast  as  you  can. 
I  shall  do  my  utmost. 


It  is  worth  while. 
It  is  wasted  effort. 

He  knows  how  to  keep  a  close 

mouth. 
They  speak  to  please  him. 
I  was  going  to  say  the  same 

thing. 
That  was  intended  for  me. 
Who  is  playing  ? 
I  must  go  to  Berlin. 

I  had  to  do  it. 

Whom  should  I  meet  but  him. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


61 


(5r  mu^  mof)(  fran!  fein. 

(5^  mü^tc  betin   fein,  ba^  er 

frant  lüäre. 
mt  lit  SljMU  ^n  mute? 
Wliv  ift  su  miüc,  aU  ob  .  .  . 
äJ^ir  inar  fonberbar  ju  9)?ute. 
(Sie  muffen  Wlnt  faffen. 
@eien  (Sie  cjnten  Wnit^l 
9^ur  nic^t  ben  9Jlut  üertoren ! 
Sie  ift  muttcrfeclenattetn» 


I  suppose  he  is  ill. 
Unless  he  is  ill. 

How  do  you  feel  ? 

I  feel  as  if  .  .  . 

I  felt  queer. 

You  must  pluck  up  courage. 

Be  of  good  cheer. 

Never  say  die. 

She  is  absolutely  alone. 


m 


3d)  ge^e  nacfj  9D^ünc^en.    (Cf. 

Qd)  ge{)e  §u  meinem  trüber). 

5la(^  meiner  U^rift  e^  l)alb  nenn. 

T)a§  genfter  ge()t  nac^  bem  gofe. 
ä)2a(^en  Sie  mein  ^leib  md)  ber 

neneften  SJJobe ! 
äÖir  3ei(^nen  naä)  ber  D^atnr. 
fQat  jemanb  tiac^  mir  gefragt  ? 
Senn  e§  naä)  mir  ginge. 
a}2einer  3}2einung  naä)  follte  er 

ha^  m6)t  tnn. 
Sir  gingen  «od)  bem  §anfe  p. 

(Sr  erf)o(te  fic^  ttaci^  nnb  nat^. 
Tltint  llt)r  gc^t  natf). 
@r  lam  mir  nad^, 
aJian  !ann  i^m  nur  ®utee  md)' 
fagctt. 


Well,  going  to  be  all  day  about 

it? 
I  am  going  to  Munich. 

By    my    watch    it   is   half-past 

eight. 
The  window  lopks  on  the  yard. 
Make  my  dress  in  the  latest 

style. 
We  draw  from  nature. 
Did  any  one  ask  for  me  ? 
If  I  had  my  way. 
According    to   my  opinion  he 

ought  not  to  do  this. 
We  went   in   the  direction  of 

the  house. 
He  recovered  gradually. 
My  watch  is  slow. 
He  followed  me. 
Nothing  but  good  can  be  said 

of  him. 


62 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


^r  mu§  l}eute  narfjft^ctt» 

^ei  närf)ftcr  Gelegenheit  iDerbe 

id)  fct)reiben. 
^XHan  fott  feinem  ^lärfjften  in  ber 

9^ot  beifte()en. 
3eber  ift  fic^  felbft  ber  91ärf)ftc* 
(Sr  ift  bei  md}t  unb  ^J^ebel  ba^ 

öongegangen. 
9Btr  nioüctt  il)m  nat^» 
(Sr  tvav  naf)e  baran  ju  ertrinfen. 
(gein  Xob  gel)t  mir  naljc. 

@ie  ift  auö  ber  S'lä^e, 

(Sr  ift  ein  Kaufmann  namens 

(mit  9bmeu)  ^aner. 
^er  flaute  tnt  nid)t§  gnr  ^ad)t. 
(Sie  ^at  i^n  jnm  Plärren« 
!I)a^  lag'  irf)  mir  nic^t  ttc^mcm 

9lc^mett  (Sie  eö  nic^t  für  nngnt. 

(Cf.  ^i(^t§  für  ungut!), 
(gr  !)at  feit  brei  Xagen  nickte  jn 

fid)  geuommcu. 
9letu,  itiie  f  onberbar  !ann  ha^  in 

ber  ^e(t  gngeljen ! 
dv  ift  ein  fet)r  netter  SJ^enfc^. 
®lücfad)e^    ^leuja^r!     profit 

9leuja()r!  (Cf.  3^^  gratuliere 

3nm  nenen  3a^i*e). 
(Sie  finb   ein   !^entf(^er,  uic^t 

tüa^r  ? 
(5^  ift  lange,  bafe  icf)  Sie  niä^t 

gefe^en  ^abe. 


He  has  to  stay  in  (after  school) 
to-day. 

I  shall  write  at  the  first  oppor- 
tunity. 

One  must  help  his  neighbor  in 
distress. 

Charity  begins  at  home. 

He  fled  secretly. 

Let's  follow  him. 

He  came  near  drowning. 

His    death    affects    me    very 

much. 
She  is  from  the  neighborhood. 
He  is  a  merchant  by  the  name 

of  Bauer. 
The  name  is  immaterial. 
She  is  making  a  fool  of  him. 
I  won't  be  talked  out  of  that. 

I  am  firmly  convinced  of  it. 
Do  not  be  offended. 

He  has  taken  no  food  in  three 

days. 
Weir,  what  strange  things  can 

happen  in  this  world  ! 
He  is  a  very  nice  man. 
A  happy  New  Year. 


You  are  a  German,  are  you  not? 

It  is  a  long  time  since  I  saw 
you. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


63 


mit  ttit^tCtt. 

(5^  ift  tt id) to  mit  il)m. 
^enti  e^  lueiter  nic^tö  ift. 
!^a^  ^at  ni^tö  gu  fagen. 
Tliv  ttit^t^,  bir  nit^t^. 
©eben  @ie  mir  not^'  eine  Xaff e ! 
«Sagen  @ie  e^  noc^  ein'mal ! 
!iDer  Xeic^  ift  ttO(§  ein'mal  fo  tief. 
9loc^  geftern  tvav  er  ^ter. 
(5r  fommt  not^  biefe  3Boc^e. 

SSer  !ommt  nod)  ? 

(gr  l)at  meter  greunbe  no^  ®e(b. 

(5r  ^at  feine  (iebe  9lot 
(g^  tätt  not,  ic^  ginge  jelbft. 

3?m  9ltt  mar  er  t)ier. 

!Da  eö  nnn  einmal'  fo  ift.    (Cf. 

a^  ift  nun  cinmar  fo). 
S^utt,  marum  gelten  (Sie  nic^t  ? 
3c^  ^abe  nur  greunbe  an  biefem 

Orte. 
3f^  ^ci^t  greunbe  nur  an  biefem 

Orte, 
ga^ren  Sie  nur  meiter ! 
^äre  id)  nur  an  feiner  Stelle ! 
Sagen  Sie  mir  nur ! 
Sie  !am  er  nur  ^ier^er  ? 

3^  tue,  fo  üiet  ic^  nur  !ann. 
S03U  nü^t  ba^  ? 


By  no  means.  ^  X 

There  is  nothing  in  him. 

If  that  is  all. 

That  doesn't  matter.  ^ 

Without  ceremony.     Coolly.  \ 

Give  me  another  cup. 

Say  it  again. 

The  pond  is  as  deep  again. 

Only  yesterday  he  was  here.  ^ 

He  will  come  before  the  end       ^ 
of  the  week. 

Who  else  is  coming  ?  ^ 

He   has    neither    friends   nor 
money. 

He  has  his  own  troubles.  A 

It  would  be  best  if  I  went  my- 
self. 

He  was  here  in  a  jiffy.  '     <- 

Since  things  are  as  they  are. 

Well,  why  don't  you  go  ? 

I    have    only  friends    in    this  ^ 

place. 
I  have   friends  in   this  place         ^ 

only. 
Just  go  on. 

If  only  I  were  in  his  place. 
Please  tell  me. 
How  in  the  world  did  he  get 

here  ? 
I  do  as  much  as  ever  I  can.  > 

Of  what  good  is  it  ? 


64 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


Sßertüo^nt  o6ctt  ? 

(gr  fe^rt  alleö  ^u  unterft  unb  ju 

oBcrft 
(5§  tft  ntrf)t  gan^  o^nc. 
(5r  l^at  e§  Winter  ben  O^reiu 
(Sie  l)aben  t^ti  überö  D^v  ge^ 

^auen,    (Cf.  (Sr  ^at  mid^  über 

ben  Söffet  barbiert). 
SBir  tüerben  balb  an  Ort  unb 

(Stelle  fein. 


Who  lives  upstairs? 

He    turns    everything   upside 

down. 
There  is  some  truth  in  it. 
He  is  a  sly  one. 
They  have  cheated  him. 


We  shall  soon  reach  our  desti- 
nation. 


* 


üDte  geinbe  njurben  ju  paaren 

getrieben, 
©eben  (Sie  mir  ein  ^aar  9J?ar! ! 
(Sie  ^at  i^n  unter  bem  Pantoffel. 

(Cf.  dt  Ijat  fie  unter  bem 

Daumen), 
(5r  ift  ein  ^antoffcl^clb.. 
Qä)  fenne  meine  ^a^^cn^cimcr. 

(Cf.     Wallensteins     Tod,     1. 

1 8  7 1 :  !l)aran  erfenn'  t^  meine 
Pappenheimer,  ^r  fennt  feine 

T)a«  tüirb  um  einen  ^appcitfttel 

üerfauft. 
<Stnb  «Sie  mit  öon  ber  ^arttc? 
Soden  tüir  eine  $artte  3B^ift 

madden  ? 
^r  mac^t  eine  gute  '^axiXt. 
!J)er  §ut  >^a^i  mir  nic^t. 


The  enemy  were  routed. 

Give  me  a  few  marks. 

She  has  him  under  her  thumb. 


He  is  a  henpecked  husband. 
I  know  my  man  (men).   {Often 
iron.). 


It  will  be  sold  for  a  mere  trifle. 

Will  you  join  us  in  the  trip  ? 
Shall  we  have  a  game  of  whist  ? 

He  is  making  a  good  match. 
The  hat  does  not  fit  me. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


65 


©r  pa^t  ntrf)t  für  bte  ^tefluncj. 

:Da«  pa^t  Utt§  nid)t 

'^a^  pa^t  fid)  nid)t. 

@r  ift  ein  luftiger  ^atrun. 

@r  I)at  ^er^. 

(5r  ()at  t^m  ben  ^clj  getrafdiem 

<Bd}idtn  <Sie  mir  meine  :53riefe 

^cr  5lbreffe  §errn  )R. 
(g§  tft  !ein  5lnfel)en  ber  ^crfon 

»or  ®ott. 
3Sir  pflegten  dlaU  miteinanber. 
Wdn  35ater  ^ffcgtc  ju  fagen, 
SQ3ie  man  gu  fagen  pflegt 
^3^e^men<Sie  ^la^! 
!Da^  ift  l^ier  nid)t  am  ^(a^e* 
^lod)  ift  ^olcn  nic^t  verloren, 
^er  Äief  !am  mit  ber  heutigen 

^oft. 
Q6^  ge'^e  ie^t  auf  bte  ^oft, 

(Schreiben  (Sie  gefäüigft  mit  um* 

gel)enber  $oft ! 
Qä)  üerfenbe  ha^  ^a!et'  mit  ber 

*oft, 
§ier  ift  ber  (Schalter  für  ^oftIa= 

ßcrnbe  Senbungen» 
Um  feinen  ^rei§  tue  ic^  ba?>, 

Waffen  (Sie  fid&  nic^t  ^retten ! 
5Bir  ftetten  tl)n  auf  bie  ^toBc, 
(Sr  l)at  hit  Sßvoht  beftanben. 
Qd)  nel)me  (Sie  auf  ^roBc* 


He  is  not  adapted  to  the  posi-      / 

tion. 
That  does  not  suit  us. 
That  is  not  proper. 
He  is  a  jolly  fellow. 
He  is  in  hard  luck. 
He  gave  him  a  good  scolding. 
Send    my   letters   in    care    of 

Mr.  N. 
God  is  no  respecter  of  persons.       V 

We  took  counsel  together. 

My  father  used  to  say. 

As  the  saying  is. 

Be  seated. 

That  is  out  of  place  here. 

All  is  not  lost  yet. 

The    letter    came    by  to-day's 

mail. 
I    am   going  to  the  postoffice 

now. 
Please  write  by  return  mail. 

I  am  sending  the  package  by 

mail. 
This   is   the   general  delivery- 
window. 
I  will  not  do  that  for  all  the 

world. 
Don't  let  yourself  be  "  done." 
We  put  him  to  the  test.  / 

He  stood  the  test.  y 

I  will  take  you  on  trial.  y 


66  GERMAN  IDIOMS 

(Sr  marfitefuqen  ^rojcgmttt^m.      He  made  short  work  of  him.        / 
(gr  fing  einen  ^ro^c^  mit  mir  an.     He  instituted  legal  proceedings 

against  me. 
dxtjat ba6 ^ulDcrnic^terfunben.      He  will  never  set  the  world  on 

fire. 
^d)  ftanb  auf  bem  fünfte,  (Sie     I  was  on  the  point  of  asking 

aufragen.  you. 

^er  Sßnnit  tft  ein  3?nterpun^     The  period  is  a  punctuation    x 

tion§3eic!)en.  mark. 

(5r  tarn  '^unU  3  U^r.  He    came    precisely    at  three 

o'clock. 
Unb  bamit  ^^Suttltum !  And  there's  an  end  of  it. 

SQJetn  iBater  tDo()nt  quer  gegen*     My  father  lives  diagonally 

über.  across  the  street. 

dv  ftreif te  freu^  Unb  qucr  um^er.      He   wandered    around   in    all 

directions. 
@ö  tft  i^m  tttüCL^  in  bie  duerc      Something    has    gone    wrong 

gefommen.  with  him. 

T)Ci^  madjt  un^  quiti  That  squares  things  between     ^^ 

us. 

91 

(5r    tft    i>a^    fünfte    9lab    om  He  is  superfluous. 

5S^agen. 

(5r  ift  auger  9lanb  unb  ^anb.  He  is  out  of  all  bounds, 

^r  reitet  @(^ufterg  Üla^^cn»  He  goes  on  Shank's  mare. 

(5g  vapptU  bet  it)m.  He    is  not  quite  right  in  his 

head. 

Sir  moden  ben  3Irjt  p  'Siait  Let  us  call  in  the  doctor. 

Jtel)en. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


6t 


(gr  treig  immer  ^at 

X)a^vi  tann  dtat  tüerben. 

3:e^tfc^affen@te9lat! 

$ier  ift  guter  "^at  teuer. 

(5r  treig  ftc^  nidjt  3U  raten. 

T)a^  voax  gut  geraten. 

9}?an  !ann  ntc^t  auf  i^n  rcrfjnen. 

(^ixi  3'a^r  m6  aubere  gerechnet. 
!l)em  marfje  tcf)  einen  9tric^  burd) 

bie  9ied^nnng. 
^enn  mir  rec^t  ift. 
OJ^ir  foil  e^  gang  red^t  fein. 
Senn  e§  3^nen  fo  rec^t  ift. 
T)a  finb  @ie  n)a§  ^Jet^tcig ! 

@ie  !ommen  eben  rcrfjt» 
^in  id)  f)ter  rcrf)t  ? 
(ä^  ift  rct^t  fd)abe. 
3c^  tue  e§  rec^t  gem. 

9^Utt  tue  id^  eö  erft  red^t  nid)t. 
!^a  bift  bu  an  ben  91cd)tctt  ge- 

fommen. 
(gie  ^aben  rec^t. 
Qd:}  gebe  if)m  rcd|t. 
^on  ^tä)t^  n)egen  ^ätte  id)  e^ 

ni(^t  tun  foHen. 
(5r  fiel  mir  in  bie  9iebe. 
I^ie  9flebe  fie(  auf  unferen  Öel^rer. 

!Dat)on  ift  feine  ^t't>t. 
Soöon  ift  bie  9lcbe? 


He  always  knows  what  to  do. 

That  may  be  easily  managed. 

Now  tell  us  what  to  do. 

We  are  in  a  dilemma. 

He  does  not  know  what  to  do. 

That  was  a  good  guess. 

He   is   not  to    be   depended 

upon. 
Taking  one  year  with  another. 
I  will  upset  his  plans. 

If  I  am  not  mistaken. 

I  am  quite  agreeable  to  it. 

If  you  are  agreeable. 

You  think  you  are  something 

great. 
You  come  just  in  tim». 
Is  this  the  right  place  ? 
It  is  a  great  pity. 
I  will  do  it  with  the  greatest 

pleasure. 
Now  I  will  do  it  less  than  ever. 
You  found  your  match  there. 

You  are  right. 

I  agree  with  him. 

By   right   I    should   not  have 

done  it. 
He  interrupted  me. 
The  conversation  turned  upon 

our  teacher. 
That  is  not  the  question. 
What  is  it  all  about  ? 


68 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


ßö  ift  nidjt  ber  9lcbe  wtxt 
3(f)  [teilte  tf)n  gur  9iebc. 
(Sie  muffen  mir  9lcbe  fte^en. 


3Ba§  ift  ber  (angen  8tebe  turner 

@iun?     (Z>/^  Ficcolomini^  1. 

241). 
(5r  lägt  mit  fic^  rcben. 
9lebctt  it)ir  nic^t  me^r  banon ! 
OJlai^en  «Sie  nid)t  fo  üiel  Üiebcn§ 

baüoti ! 
T)aö  mai^te  il)re  (Siferfud)t  rege. 
3^n  ber  9ficgc(  ift  ba^  3ßetter  im 

mox  fc^ön. 
(5r  ftet)t  im  fd)it)arjen  9?egiftcr* 
Ülctr^en  (Sie  mir  gefälügft  ba^ 

(Salij! 
9f{c^tba^? 
!iDie  9Jct^e  ift  an   mir.     (Cf. 

3e^t   bin   i^    bran.      3e^t 

fommt  e§  an  bid)). 
3^e^t  fommen  (Sie  an  bie  9tei^e. 
!Da^  ift  rein  anö  ber  Önft  gegrif* 

fen. 
^qA  ift  rein  nnmögtic^. 
3c^  Tiiu§  :nit  i{)m  in^  kleine 

fommen. 
(^lücflic^e  meifc! 
$ßir  reifen  über  Bremen, 
©r    ^at    9^ei^ttn§    genommen. 

(Cf.  (5r  ift  bnrdfigcbrannt.   (5r 

mad)te  fid)  an^  bem  Staube). 


It  is  not  worth  mentioning. 

I  took  him  to  task. 

You  will  have  to  give  an  ac- 
count of  yourself.  You  will 
have  to  answer  my  questions. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the 
rigmarole  ? 

He  is  open  to  conviction. 

Let  us  drop  the  subject. 

Do  not  make  such  a  fuss  about 

it. 
That  roused  her  jealousy. 
As  a  rule  the  weather  in  May 

is  beautiful. 
He  is  a  marked  man. 
Please  pass  the  salt. 

Is  that  enough  ? 
It  is  my  turn. 


Now  it  is  your  turn. 
That  is  pure  invention. 

That  is  absolutely  impossible. 
I  must  come  to  an  understand- 
ing with  him. 
Pleasant  journey  ! 
We  go  by  way  of  Bremen. 
He  fled. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


69 


Tk  -grauen  reiben  [iä)  um  tl)n. 
T)a«  Qah  il)m  ten  Slcft 

(Sie  muffen  fic^  nad)  tl)m  tickten» 

T)amit  ^at  eö  feine  ^iit^tigfeit 
^>a^  ^inb  fjöngt  ber  a)?utter  am 

(5r  nimmt  feine  9lücfftc^t  auf  baö 

falte  ^Better, 
©r  fte^t  in  gutem  Üiufc» 
t^affen  ®ie  mid)  in  9iu§e. 
33er  (2cf)(ag  ^at  i^n  gerührt 


The  ladies  are  wild  after  him. 

That  gave  the  finishing  stroke 
to  him. 

You  must  accommodate  your- 
self to  his  wishes. 

That  is  quite  correct. 

The  child  clings  to  its  mother's 
skirt. 

He  makes  no  allowance  for 
the  cold  weather. 

He  has  a  good  reputation. 

Leave  me  alone. 

He  has  had  an  apoplectic 
stroke. 


^ 


T)a^  tut  nic^t«  ^ur  Sa^c» 
Sa^  ift  an  ber  (Baä}t  ? 
bleiben  (Sie  bei  ber  8a(^c! 
^a§  ift  meine  Sac^e. 
!Die  8acl)c  ge^t  mic^  nid)t§  an. 
9^e()men     (Sie     Q^vt     fieben 

©a^en ! 
dv  ging  mit  ©aif  unb  ^ad, 
Sßa^  (Sie  md)t  fagen ! 
Sa^  xfij  fagcu  tüoltte. 
3Ba^  raoüen  (Sie  bamit  fagen? 
(5r  fagt  nur  fo. 
aj^an  fagt. 

@ie  l}aben  mir  nid)t6  3U  fageit* 
!r)a^  {jat  nic^t^  gu  fagen. 
3c^  ^abe  mir  fagen  laffen. 
dx  ift,  offen  gefagt,  ein  (Spi^* 

bube. 


That's  immaterial. 

What  is  the  truth  of  the  matter  ? 

Stick  to  the  point. 

That  is  my  business. 

That's  no  concern  of  mine. 

Take  your  traps. 

He  went  with  bag  and  baggage. 
You  don't  say  so  1 
As  I  was  about  to  say. 
What  do  you  mean  by  that  ? 
He  simply  says  so. 
It  is  said. 

I  am  not  under  your  orders. 
That  doesn't  matter. 
I  have  been  told. 
To  tell  the  plain  truth,  he  is  a 
scoundrel. 


TO 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


Unter  un6  gefagt,  er  ift  ein  Öüg* 

ner. 
T)tx  !ann  öoti  @Iü(f  fagcn,  ba§ 

er  nicf|t  mit  bem  ^^ge  reifte, 

3^  mug  mic^  tüieber  fcmmeln, 
®a^  !Dienftmäbc^ett  mug  eö  fid) 

oft  fauer  irerben  (affen. 
ee  ift  ft^abc. 
T)a^  fci^abct  nirf)t. 
(5r  {)at  fein  St^äfj^cn  im  Xrod* 

nen. 
Q6)  miß  mit  it)m  nicf)tö  p  fc^af= 

fen  ^aben. 
(5r  mac^t  mir  Diel  gu  fc^affen, 

y       ®ie  fr^afftcn  i()n  au§  bem  SBege. 
8a§  if)n  ft^alten  unb  tratten. 
Wldnt  §  Öffnungen   finb   gu 

Sc^anbctt  gemorben. 
(Sr  ^at  feine  g*^re  in  bie  Sc^anje 

gefdjlagem 
3Bie  a(t  fc^ä^cn  Sie^^n? 
Sl^rau,  ft^au,  toem! 

^er  Sj^etn  trügt 

®ie  geben  fic^  btn  St^cin,  aU 

Ob,,. 
(Sie  toar  fj^eintot. 
§ier  ift  mein  ©eburt^fi^ein  unb 

t)ier  mein  ^^Pff^jctn, 

Qä)  ^abe  baö   gcft^enlt  befom* 
men. 


Between  you  and  me,  he  is  a 
liar. 

He  may  consider  himself  lucky 
that  he  did  not  travel  by  that 
train. 

I  must  collect  my  thoughts. 

The  servant  girl  is  often  com- 
pelled to  do  drudgery. 

It  is  a  pity. 

That  doesn't  matter. 

He  has  feathered  his  nest. 

I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with 
him. 

He  gives  me  a  great  deal  of 
trouble. 

They  put  him  out  of  the  way. 

Let  him  do  as  he  likes. 

My  hopes  have  come  to  noth- 
ing. 

He  has  staked  his  honor. 

How  old  do  you  take  him  to  be? 
If  you  trust  before  you  try,  you 

may  repent  before  you  die. 
Appearances  are  deceptive. 
They  make  believe  to  .  .  . 

She  was  in  a  trance. 

Here  is  my  certificate  of  birth 

and  here  is  my  certificate  of 

vaccination. 
I  got  that  as  a  present. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


71 


Ba^  ft^crt  e^  bid)? 

(Sie  treiben  Sc^erj  mit  i^m. 

(5r  (ägt  itid)t  mit  fid)  f^crjcn* 

T)o5  fi^irft  fic^  niiijt 

(B^iät  hid)  in  hk  2öe(t. 

3(^  fr^icbe  gem  ^t^d. 

Qd)  bin  in  einer  ft^tefcn  Sage. 

(5r  mac^t  ein  8(^Iäf(^ett» 

3d)  n)ünfd)e  3^nen   njo^t   p 

fc^Iafciu 
T^er  -3^nge  befam  Schläge, 
©erlagen  (Sie  fic^  ba^  anö  bem 

Sinn. 
!Die  Sc^tadjt  hti  Seban  tüurbe 

im  3a^ve  1870  gef erlogen. 
Sie  lebten  ft^Icc^t  unb  rec^t. 

(S«  ge^t  i^nen  red)t  fd^Icc^t 
2Ba«  ft^licften  Sie  barauö? 
Schlug  folgt. 

Sr^merft  3f)nen  bie  Suppe  nid)t? 
(5r  i'd^t  fid)'0  gut  fr^merfett* 
(gr  fpric^t,  lüie  il)m  ber  Sr^nabcl 

geirac^fen  ift. 
(gr  l)aut  über  bie  Sr^nur* 

Sie  lange  finb  Sie  fc^on  :^ier? 
Qd)  toaxtt  nun  fr^on  brei  ^age. 

(§r  ^at  fo  f(^0tt  genug. 
©(^ott  fein  ®ang   ^eigt  feinen 
Stor^. 


What's  that  to  you  ? 
They  are  making  sport  of  him. 
He  will  not  be  trifled  with. 
That's  not  proper. 
Adapt  yourself  to  the  world. 
I  like  to  bowl. 

I  am  in  an  awkward  predica- 
ment. 
He  is  taking  a  nap. 
I  wish  you  good-night. 

The  boy  got  a  whipping. 
Think  no  more  of  it. 

The  battle  of  Sedan  was  fought        u- 
in  1870. 

They   lived   simply  and    hon- 
estly. 

They  are  very  badly  oJfif. 

What  do  you  infer  from  that  ? 

Concluded  in  our  next. 

Enjoying  your  meal? 

Don't  you  like  the  soup  ? 

He  eats  with  a  relish. 

He  is  a  plain-spoken  man. 

He  kicks  over  the  traces.     He 

overshoots  the  mark. 
How  long  have  you  been  here? 
I  have  been  waiting  for  three 

days  now. 
He  has  enough  as  it  is.  >^ 

His  very  gait  shows  his  pride.        X 


72 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


3rf)  merbe  btcf)  ft^oit  rufen. 

Sctttt  ee  f(^ott  tt)al)r  ift,  fo  . .  ♦ 

iSt^on  QVLtl 

:Dan!e  fc^ön ! 

3d)  bitte  fr^ött» 

„^et^en  «Sie  mir  gefädigft  Q^xt 

güüfeber."       „:Q3itte   ^ä)MJ' 

(As  the  pen  is  handed). 
„©eben  (Sie  mir  eine  (güe  oon 

bie[em:33anb!"    ,,©(^öit.'' 
Die  fc^öttc  Sßelt  ift  in  SBie«« 

baben  ^u  fel)en. 
!l)u  bift  fc^ulb  baran. 
(Sr  ^at  fic^   eine  ©rob^eit  ^u 

©c^ulben  !ommen  (äffen. 
Sc^toamm  brüber ! 
§einrid)  fri^tuänst  bie  (Schule. 
WXt^  ft^luärmt  fllr  iljn. 
(gr  fc^ttJärmt  für  äJhifü. 

-3d)  iüerbe  e^  3^nen  fr^tuarj  auf 

njeig  geben. 
(Sr  l^at  ba^  Sdjrtjarje  getroffen. 
@ö  fallt  mir  frf)tt»cr. 
5)aö  ©aue   l)at  mit^  fd^mcre^ 

(5^etb  geloftet. 
Sir  l)aben  ba§  @rf)ttierftc  ()inter 

un^. 
(5r  mac^t  mir  Sc^iotcrigfeiten. 
(5r  ift  ein  Scf^^iger. 
T)a0  geljt  mir  an  bie  «Seele. 


I  will  call  you ;  you  can  depend    > 

on  that. 
Although    this  is    quite    true,     ; 

yet  .  .  . 
Very  well.     All  right. 
Thank  you. 
Would  you  kindly. 
"Will  you  kindly  lend  me  your 

fountain  pen  ? "  " Certainly." 

"  Giveme  a  yard  of  thisribbon." 

"All  right." 
The  fashionable  world  can  be 

seen  at  Wiesbaden. 
It  is  your  fault. 
He  has  been  guilty  of  an  act    \ 

of  rudeness. 
No  more  of  that. 
Henry  is  playing  truant. 
Everybody  is  raving  over  him. 
He  is  enthusiastically  fond  of 

music. 
I  will  give  it  to  you  in  writing. 

He  has  made  a  bull's  eye. 

I  find  it  difficult. 

This  house  has  cost  me  a  great 

deal  of  money. 
The  worst  is  over. 

He  is  causing  me  trouble. 
He  is  past  sixty  (in  the  sixties). 
That  goes  to  the  bottom  of  my 
heart. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


IB 


(Sie  fprec^en  mir  au§  ber  Sccle» 

!5)aö  gel)t  mir  burrf)  tie  ®cc(c. 

!Da  fc^e  einer! 

^uf  ®ef)a(t  irtrb  nidjt  gcfc^en, 

8ic§  ju  beinen  SÖorten! 

Qd)  tonnte  i^n  nid)!  ju  fcfjen 
befommen. 

(Sie  (äffen  fid)  ja  nirf)t  mel)r 
fc^ctt, 

(Scl^ft  feine  grennbe  glauben 
i^m  nid)t 

@ott  I)abe  i()n  fcHg ! 

SJ^ein  33ater  fcHg  fagte  immer. 

@r  l^at  feinen  ^opf  barauf  ge- 
fegt 

Sd)  fc^e  ben  gall 

(Sie  ift  eine  böfe  (Sieben. 

"^a^  toiü  mir  nic^t  au§  bem 
Sinn. 

(Sinb  (Sie  nid)t  bei  Sinnen? 

(Sr  ift  öon  Sinnen. 

bleibt  nur  filjen! 

dv  ift  fi^cn  geblieben. 

(gr  lieg  ha^  3}2äbd)en  fi^cn. 

T)iefer  ^od  fi^t  ^^^en  fe^r  gut. 

9^ec^t  fo! 

5^ii^tfo! 

!Daö  fann  nic^t  fo  bleiben. 

So  etn)a§  fommt  alle  ^age  öor. 

3ft  eö  fo  iDeit  gefommen? 

ajJac^en  (Sie  eö  fo  n)ie  id)! 

©0  öiet  eö  au{^  fofte. 

®*»r  i^l^t  ift'«^  Ö^ttWQ  • 


Those  are  just  my  sentiments. 

That  cuts  me  to  the  quick. 

I  declare  I 

Salary  no  object. 

Mind  your  words. 

I  could  not  get  to  see  him. 

You  never  come  to  see  us  now. 

Even  his  friends  do  not  believe 

him. 
God  rest  his  soul ! 
My  late  father  always  said. 
He  has  set  his  heart  on  it. 

I  assume. 

She  is  a  termagant. 

I  cannot  get  it  out  of  my  mind. 

Are  you  out  of  your  mind  ? 

He  is  out  of  his  senses. 

Just  keep  your  seats. 

He  was  not  promoted. 

He  jilted  the  girl. 

This  coat  fits  you  very  well. 

That's  right.     That's  it. 

Oh,  no. 

Things  can  not  go  on  like  this. 

Such  things  happen  every  day. 

Has  it  come  to  this  ? 

Do  as  I  do. 

Whatever  it  may  cost. 

There,  that  will  do. 


74 


GERMAxN  IDIOMS 


(vr  tut  nur  fo, 

a^  tft  fo'  frf)on  fpat  genug. 

„9öie  9el)t  t^  3t)neu?"    ^,80, 

^enn  bu  fannft,  fo  fomme. 
^r  fommt  fo  alle  fec^^  2öoc^en. 

2öte  er  nun  fo  baftanb. 
1)a^  hvaud)cn  \m  fo  tüte  fo'» 
!^u  fottft  betnen  35ater  unb  beine 

SJZutter  e^ren. 
^u  follft  e§  fel)en, 
(Sie  \)ätttn  eö  tun  foflcn. 
Sollte  ba^  Sßetter  fic^  änbern. 
3d)  fottte  t>a^  tun? 
@ie  follctt  rerf)t  !)aben. 
SJ^etn  trüber  foötc  ^Irgt  werben. 

Sa^  fott  ba«  ^a(^en? 

So^ufottbaö? 

(5r  fott  franf  fein. 

Sollte  ha^  unfer  2Bin)e(m  geU)e= 

fen  fein? 
(gr  foß  fort. 
'Der  ^U(f)fü^rer  trägt  Sott  unb 

§aben  ein. 
!Da^  ift  f^attifc^  für  mid).     (Cf. 

^Da^  finb  mir  bö^mifd^c  Dör* 

fer). 
(gr  t)er)'tef)t  feinen  S^ag. 
(ir  fefete  fein  Öeben  auf^  S^ieL 


Indeed  ? 

He  is  only  pretending. 

It  is  late  enough  as  it  is. 

"  How  do  you  do  ?  "  '•  Pretty 
well." 

If  you  can,  (then)  come. 

He  comes  every  six  weeks  or 
so. 

As  he  was  standing  there. 

We  will  need  that  anyhow. 

Thou  shalt  honor  thy  father 
and  thy  mother. 

You  will  see. 

You  should  have  done  it. 

If  the  weather  should  change. 

I  do  that  ?     Never  ! 

I  will  allow  that  you  are  right. 

My  brother  was  to  be  a  physi- 
cian. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  your 
laughter  ? 

What's  the  use  of  that  ? 

He  is  said  to  be  ill. 

Could  it  have  been  our  Wil- 
liam ? 

He  must  be  off. 

The  bookkeeper  enters  the 
debits  and  credits. 

That  is  Greek  to  me. 


He  can  not  take  a  joke. 
He  risked  his  life. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


75 


Waffen  Sie  mirf)  aite  betn  S^icl ! 
^r  treibt  e^  auf  bie  ©^t^c, 
3ft§err^.  ^uf^rcc^ien?    (Cf. 

SftiJeiTSJ^  ba?), 
3cf)  mödjte  .gierrn  9^^.  f^rec^cm 
3(J|  bin  auBer  ftanbe  baö  au  tun. 
S^  bin  nirf)t  im  ftanbe  ba^  gu 

tun. 
Sd)  !ann  nid)t  bamit  3U  ftanbe 

fommen. 
Sarmn  bleiben  @ie  nid)t  bei  ber 

Stange?  (Cf.  bleibe  bei  ber 

@ac^e!). 
(5^  regnet  ftart 
3Bie  ftart  ift  bk  neue  5luflage  ? 

dv  madjte  fic^  au^  bem  Staube. 
(Cf.  (gr  l)at  9Jei^au§  genom^^ 
men.    (5r  ift  burrfjgebrannt). 

üDa^  fttr^t  il)m  in  bie  ^ugen. 

$ßo  !)aben  @ie  geftcrft. 

dx  blieb  fterfen. 

(5^  mu§  eö  i^m  einer  gefterft  ^a^ 

ben. 
@ie  ^ahtn  it)n  unter  bie  @o(ba^ 

ten  geftecft. 
(Sr  rebet  auö  bem  Stegreif. 
mit  fte^t^^  mit  3I)rer  ©efunb- 

t)eit? 
9öie  fte^t  eg  in  §aufe? 
!iDie  U^r  fte^t  fc^on  ivieber. 
liDiefer  gut  fte^t  Q\)ntn  gut. 


Don't  mix  me  up  in  the  affair. 
He  carries  it  to  extremes. 
Is  Mr.  N.  in  ? 

I  should  like  to  see  Mr.  N. 
I  am  unable  to  do  this. 
I  am  unable  to  do  this. 

I  can  not  manage  it. 

Why   don't   you    stick   to  the 
point  ? 

It  is  raining  hard. 
How  many  copies  have  been 
printed  of  the  new  edition  ? 
He  ran  away  (skipped). 


That  strikes  his  eye. 

Where  have  you  been  keeping 

yourself? 
He  stuck  fast. 
Somebody  must  have  given  him 

a  hint  of  it. 
They  made  a  soldier  of  him. 

He  speaks  off-hand. 
How  are  you  ? 


How  are  the  folks  ? 

The  clock  has  stopped  again 

This  hat  becomes  you  well. 


1/ 


t6 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


3ötr  ftcf)cu  un§  gatij  gut. 
.'pier  ftc^t  eö. 

3(^  fte^c  3U  3^)^^^  1)tenften. 
Der  5lcferbau    fte^t   an  erfter 

(Stcttc. 
(gr  ftcttt  firf)  franf. 
T)tv  3unge  ftcttt  fid)  nur  fo. 
dv  \)at  feine  grau  im  Stid^  ge* 

(äffen. 
(Sd)meige  ftltt! 
Daö  fttmmt ! 

3fcft  bin  ^eute  nirfit  gut  gcfttmmt. 
(Sr  fticjf   ben  §unb  mit   bem 

guge. 
ÜDer  (Sd)afbo(f  ftöftt  mit  bem 

Äopfe. 
!iDie  ^u^  ftößt  mit  ben  §örnern. 
dv  \)at  tDieber  bumme  ©treirfjc 

gemalt. 
(Sr  liegt  im  (Streite  mit  feinem 

trüber. 
Söie  ^iele  beutf(l)e  ©tunben  ^a* 

ben  v25ie  bie  Sßod^e? 


We  are  on  excellent  terms. 
Here  it  is  (written). 
I  am  at  your  service. 
Agriculture  takes  first  rank. 

He  pretends  to  be  ill. 

The  boy  is  simply  shamming. 

He  has  abandoned  his  wife. 

Be  quiet. 

Correct.     That's  (all)  right. 
I  am  not  in  good  humor  to-day. 
He  gave  the  dog  a  kick. 

The  ram  butts. 

The  cow  hooks. 

He  has  been  at  his  old  tricks 

again. 
He  is  at  loggerheads  with  his 

brother. 
How  many   German   lessons 

have  you  a  week  ? 


90a«  ift  ^eute  für  ein  ^ag  ? 
a^  ift  no(^  fet)r  frii^  am  2;agc. 
5lm  iüngften  2;ag  njerben  alle 

gerichtet. 
dv  lebt  in  ben  Xa^  l^inetn. 
Qii)  tr»erbe  nä^fter  Xa^c  an  i^n 

fc^reiben. 


What  day. of  the  week  is  it? 
It  is  still  very  early  in  the  day. 
On  the    Day  of  Judgment  all 

will  be  judged. 
He  lives  recklessly. 
I    shall  write   to   him  one  of 

these  days. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


-^rmcjen  tvxv  bie  (Sac^e  auf^  Xa^ 

(Sr  tft  bei  ber  Xai  txtappt  tpor- 
btn. 
^   dv  l)ie(t  ba^  tinb  über  bie  ^^aufc. 

P 

(Sr  taugt  3U  nirf)tö. 

©arin  tauft^cn  ®ie  fid). 

(5i  ber  2;aufcnb !  SBie  bu  gemac^^ 
fen  btft ! 
,,,    T)a0  mtrb  mir  ^u  tctL 
p   ÜDer  2;eufe(  tft  (0^. 

!I)aö  ift  ein  gro^e^  ^^icr» 

^ei  X^d)t  fprarf)en  mir  baoon. 

kommen  (Sie  nad)  2;ifr§c ! 

dv  bat  mid)  gu  2;tfd^c  gu  bleiben. 

3:)n  bift  be^  2:obe§ ! 

(gr  gab  fid)  ben  ^ob,  (Cf.  (Sr 
tat  fid)  ein  Scib§  an.  (Sr  i)at 
fid)  nm^  Öeben  gebrat^t). 

^ort  ^at  er  fid)  ben  ^ob  geholt. 

a^  gel)t  auf  ^ob  ober  Öeben. 

dx  ift  mir  in  ben  Xot)  tierl)a|t. 

(Sr  l)at  fid)  gu  Xobe  gearbeitet. 

IJDaö  ift  3um  2:oötticrben ! 

(gr  gibt  feinen  S^oti  t»on  fid).  (Cf. 
(5r  gab  feinen  Scut  non  fic^). 
<Sie  gibt  ben  Xon  an. 
!l)a§  gehört  gum  guten  2;on. 

(5r  trirft  a((e§  in  einen  So^f, 
toppl     (Cf.  5lbgcntac^t!). 


Let  us  broach  the  matter. 


He  was  caught  in  the  act. 


He    stood    godfather   for    the 

child. 
He  is  good  for  nothing. 
You  are  mistaken  there. 
Great    Scott,    how   you   have 

grown  1 
That  falls  to  my  share. 
The  devil 's  to  pay. 
He  is  a  big  gun. 
We  spoke  about  it  at  dinner.  ^ 
Come  after  dinner. 
He  invited  me  to  stay  to  dinner. 
You  are  a  dead  man. 
He  committed  suicide. 


There  he  caught  his  death. 
It  is  a  matter  of  life  or  death. 
I  can't  bear  the  sight  of  him. 
He  killed  himself  with  work. 
That  is   enough  to  drive  one 

mad. 
He  doesn't  utter  a  sound. 

She  sets  the  fashion. 
That  is  customary  in  good  so- 
ciety. 
He  treats  all  alike. 
Done!     Agreed! 


78 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


"-^ 


(i^  {ft  3um  Xotiaä^cn. 

@r  ivaä^ttt  nad)  Qtjvtm  ^ermo^ 

gen, 
Ser  trägt  bie  ^d}ulb  ? 
!Da§  Ijättt  id)  mir  nie  träumctt 

(äffen, 

ie  S^ei^e  trifft  bic^. 
(Er  ^af  ^  gctroffctt. 

c^  I)abe  e§  gnt  getroffen,  baj « . . 
^in  ic^  getroffen  ? 
3d)  l)ahc  einen  Jrennb  getrof-- 

fctt, 
S:)a^  trifft  fic^  gnt. 
Sa§  treiljft  bn  ba? 
(gr  tretBt  ^olitü. 

.^ ßr  treibt  e§  jn  njeit. 

®er  ^annt  treibt  ^(ätter. 
Sßie  ntan'^  treibt,  fo  gel)t'ö. 
(5r  tvitt  in  ba^  2lmt. 
!Die  S^ränen  treten  il}ni  in  bie 

fingen. 
jDa§  tut  i^m  nic^t^. 
^^^a^  tut  md)t^. 

(5^  ift  mir  fe^r  barnm  gn  tu«, 

dv  tntf  aU  ob  er  fc^tiefe. 

dv  njid  gleich  mit  ber  Xnv  in^ 

gan^  faden,  (Cf.  ^er  nimmt 

fein  Blatt  mv  ben  3Jhxnb,  (5r 

rebet  üon  ber  Seber  n)eg). 


It  is  too  funny  for  anything. 
He  has  an  eye  on  your  fortune. 

Whose  fault  is  it  ? 

I  should  never  have  dreamt  of 

such  a  thing. 
It  is  your  turn. 
He  has  hit  it. 
I  was  lucky  to  .  .  . 
Is  that  like  me? 
I  met  a  friend. 

That  comes  in  just  right. 
What  are  you  doing  there  ? 
He  is  in  politics. 
He  goes  too  far. 
The  tree  puts  forth  leaves. 
As  you  do,  so  shall  you  have 
He  enters  upon  the  office. 
Tears  come  to  his  eyes. 

That  won't  hurt  him. 
That  doesn't  matter. 
I  am  very  anxious  about  it. 
He  pretends  to  be  asleep. 
He  blurts  things  out. 


Ji^  ift  mir  übel, 

(g^  ift  i^m  übet  befommen. 


U 


I  feel  sick. 

It  did  not  agree  with  him. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


r9 


T)a^  muffen  Sie  ntd)t  üdelne^» 

men» 
(Er  nht  [\d)  im  Singen. 
^a^  ge^t  ühtv  afle^. 
Qd)  Ijaht  nhtv  300  ^üc^er. 

(5r  fi^Uef  ixhev  bem  Sffen  ein. 

D,  über  bie  geiglinge! 

Qd)  ftimmc  nic^t   mit  3^^nen 

«Bercttt» 
Senn  ®ie  e^  üBcr^u^t  njollen. 
(i^  bleibt  mir  nic^tö  mel)r  übrig, 

al^  ,  .  , 
2ßieöiel  Utjr  ift  eö? 
Um  alle^  in  ber  SKett  nid)t. 
@r  ift  urn  einen  ^opf  grower  a(^ 

ic^. 
Urn  fo  (eidfjter  ift  e^  ju  tun. 
Xun  (Sie  e^  urn  meinetlt)i((en. 
2Bir  effen,  um  p  leben. 
Sir   beantiDorteten   ben  ^rief 

mit  umgcljcttbcr  ^oft. 
T)tv  gad  ift  gerabe  umgefe^rt 
SOZan  befommt  e6  umfonfi 
9)^acf)en  Sie  feine  Umftättbe ! 

3J?üffen  n)ir  I)ier  nac^  5(ad)en 
umftctgcn?  (Cf.  ©inftctgcn 
nacf)  T)reöben!). 

^itte  nmjumenbcn ! 


,    ^r  mif(J)t  fic^  unberufen  in  alte«. 


\ 


You  must  not  be  offended  at 
that. 

He  practices  singing. 

That  beats  everything. 

I  have  more  than  three  hun- 
dred books. 

He  fell  asleep  while  eating. 

Fie  upon  the  cowards  1 

I  do  not  agree  witl  you. 

If  you  want  it  at  all. 

I  have  no  alternative  but  .  .  . 

What  time  is  it  ? 

Not  for  all  the  world. 

He  is  a  head  taller  than  I  am. 

So  much  the  easier  it  is  to  do. 

Do  it  for  my  sake. 

We  eat  in  order  to  live. 

We  answered  the  letter  by  re- 
turn mail. 

The  case  is  just  the  reverse. 

It  is  to  be  had  for  nothing. 

Don't  stand  on  ceremony« 
Don't  go  to  any  trouble. 

Do  we  change  here  for  Aachen? 


Please  turn  over  (the  leaf). 
Over. 

He  pokes  his  nose  in  every- 
body's business. 


?< 


80 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


dv  fragte  öon  ititgcfä^r. 
^Jltd)t^  für  ungut!  (Cf.  ^Ic^mcu 

(Sie  e^  nid)t  für  ungut). 
3ßer  tft  utttcu? 
(gr  fi^t  unten  am  ^tfc^e. 
dv  ^at  t)on  unten  auf  gebleut. 
Unter  uu^  gejagt. 
Unter  3el)u  mar  einer  gut. 
(5r   fanb    bie  Cuittung   unter 

feinen  papieren. 
^u§   ipetc^er  Urfarfje  tpirb  ba^ 

getan? 


He  happened  to  ask. 
No  offence,  I  hope. 

Who  is  downstairs  ? 

He  sits  at  the  foot  of  the  table. 

He  has  risen  from  the  ranks. 

Between  you  and  me. 

Only  one  in  ten  was  good. 

He   found  the  receipt  among 

his  papers. 
For  what  reason  is  this  done  ? 


« 


^r  (ä§t  fid)  !eine  SO^ü^e  Uerbrtc« 

^en. 
5luf  ben  n)äre  ic^  ntd)t  tjerfalten. 

^iefe  3i^i^^^    ftel)en    Qljutn 

gur  95crfügung. 
^ie  'Badjt  öcr^ölt  fid^  fo'. 
^^^^^^     @te  !önnen  fic^  barauf  ticrlaffen. 
^'^^'^ie  ift  mit  it)m  öerJoBt. 

dt  ift  öernagelt.  (Cf.  dx  l)at  ein 

Srett  üor  bem  f  opfe). 
di)t  man  fic^'^  ucrfic^t. 
@ie  tjcrftc^cn  fic^  auf  ^Htrelen? 
S^  bitte  um  S^erjei^nng. 
^^''^^ — d^  gefdia^  oar  aä)t  ^agen. 

dv  fürchtet  fic^  tjor  bem  §unbe. 
"\  Sir  bejahten  im  öoranö, 
iBa^  fjaUn  (Sie  für  morgen  tor? 


He  spares  no  pains. 

I  should  never  have  thought 
of  him. 

These  rooms  are  at  your  dis- 
posal. 

The  facts  of  the  case  are  these. 

You  can  depend  upon  it. 

She  is  engaged  to  him. 

He  is  stupid. 

Before  one  is  aware  of  it. 
You  are  a  judge  of  jewels  ? 
I  beg  your  pardon. 
It  happened  a  week  ago. 
He  is  afraid  of  the  dog. 
We  pay  in  advance. 
What   are   your   plans  for  to- 
morrow ? 


GERMAN  IDIOMS  gl 

jDiefe  (Stelle  fommt  bet  U()Ianb      This  passage  occurs  in  Uhland. 

tor» 
jDaö  ift  nocf)  nie  Dorgefommen*       That  has  never  happened  be- 
fore. 
(Sagen  Sie  Vorläufig  nic^tö!  Don't  say  anything  for  the  pre- 

sent. 
SSorftd^t!  Handle  with  care. 

(Sriauben  Sie  mir,  tntd)  3l)tten      Permit  me  to  introduce  myself 
tJurjuftcUcn»  to  you. 

^r  tft  mir  aM  ben  5(ugen  gc»  He  has  grown  so  I  don't  know 

Itiac^fem  him  any  more. 

Sdj  bin  ber  5lufgabe  gcttiarf)fem  I  am  equal  to  the  task. 

(Sr  tft  fort,  nt^t  toaf^v  ?  He  has  gone,  hasn't  he  ? 

►    ^r  reicht  i^m  ba^  Staffer  nid)t.  He  is  not  worthy  to  clean  his        >( 
boots. 

T)tv  ^tan  tft  JU  Staffer  geraor-  The  scheme  came  to  nought. 

ben.  ^^^ 

!Da§  Staffer  läuft  mir  im  äJiuitbe  My  mouth  waters.                           x 

^ufammen. 

Sie  Ujerfjfeltett  Sorte.  They  conversed.     They  quar- 
reled, 

^önttett  Sie  mir  biefe  ^autnote  Can  you  change  this  bill  for 

tueti^fcltt?  me? 

@e^'  mir  au^  bem  SSeg !  Get  out  of  my  way.                        ^--^ 

®el)'  bettlet  Söcgeö !  Go  your  way. 

^r  !am  beö  Söege^*  He  came  along. 

dv  fc^affte  ben  ijunb  aug  bem  He  got  rid  of  the  do| 

(Sr  bra(i)te  eg  juüjcgc»  He  accomplished  it. 

ÜDag  ^at  gute  SBegc.  That's  a  long  way  off. 


82 


GERMAN  IDIOMS  . 


2Bcg  bamit! 

dx  ift  ganj  tticg« 

3rf)  t)abe  mir  tuc()  getan. 

!Der  ^opf  tut  mir  itje^, 

gröf)lic^e  SÖci^nac^itctt! 

Sßer  nirf)t  liebt  Söeiit,  Seib  uub 

©efang,  !Der  bleibt  ein  9carr 

fein  ?eben  lang. 
!Da§  marken  (Sie  einem  anbern 

toctg !   (Cf.  ^Qö  Binbc  einem 

anbern  auf!). 
ii^affen  8ie  ficf)  nicf)tö  njct^ma« 

(^en! 
^ie  mit  ift  e^  üon  l)ier  bi« 

töln? 
ßr  ift  bei  ttjcitcm  ber  befte. 
Senn'^  tucitcr  nirf)t«  ift. 
T)a^  ift  Itjcitcr  nic^tö  ai^  ^o^= 

^eit. 
©ein  SSetjctt  blitzt, 
„ßaben  ®ie  'ipapier?"    „Qa,  idj 

I)abe  mclrfie^." 
2öa§  in  aller  Söclt  fo«  baö  ^ei= 

2Bir  muffen  un^  burd)  bie  Söclt 

fc^lagen. 
T)a^  ^tatt  t)at  fic^  gcttienbct. 
$ßegen  heiterer  (Srfunbigungen 

beliebe  man  fic^  an  §errn  3^. 

3U  njcttbctt, 
(So  fe{)tte  toenig,  fo  l}ätten  fie 

il)n  gefangen. 
@r  ift  nichts  ttietttgcr  al«  bumm. 


Get  away  with  it. 

He  is  quite  beside  himself. 

I  have  hurt  myself. 

My  head  aches. 

A  merry  Christmas. 

Who  loves   not   woman,  wine 

and  song,  will  be  a  fool  bis 

whole  life  long. 
Tell  that  to  the  marines  1 


Don't  be  taken  in. 

How  far  is  it  from  here  to  Co- 
logne ? 
He  is  by  far  the  best. 
If  that's  all. 
That  is  pure  malice. 

He  is  flourishing. 

*'  Have   you   paper  ?"      •*  Yes, 

I  have  some." 
What   in    the  world  can   this 

mean? 
We  must  make  our  way  in  the 

world. 
Things  have  taken  a  new  turn. 
For  further  particulars  apply 

to  Mr.  N. 

They  had  very  nearly  caught 

him. 
He  is  anything  but  stupid.        ><' 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


83 


a^  tnu§  anber^  njcrben. 

!5)er  (Schnee  mirb  ^u  2Baf]er. 

2Bie  tnirb  e^? 

T)ag  Sßer!  ift  im  SSerbcii» 

gr  ttiarf  i^n  mit  steinen. 

(ir  iuarf  um  fic^  mit  ed)impf* 

inortent. 
©^  ift  etwa^  im  SBerfc» 
Sir  ^aben  3^)^  ttjcrte§  ©(firei^ 

ben  t)om  11.  b.  9}?t§.  emp* 

fangen, 
^r  treibt  fein  SScfen  für   fid) 

allein. 
(5r  madjte  ein  grogeS  3®efen. 
®o  l)aben  tDir  nidjt  gctucttct. 
51(k  Better! 
Um  ttiieöicl  UI)r  fäf)rt  ber  ^m^ 

ab? 
!^en  mtetJteltcn  (ttjicotclften)  I)a^ 

ben  lüir  ^eute? 
^er  ttjietiteUe  ift  er  in  ber  ^laf* 

fe? 
5Iuf  SBieberfe^cn ! 
Xun  (Sie  i^m  feinen  Söittcit ! 
Senn  e§  nacft  meinem  SSiücu 

ginge, 
(vr  juittlte  mir  mit  ber  §anb. 
@ie  toirft  aU  ße^rerin  an  einer 

(Stementarfc^ute. 
T)a^  ift  eine  fc^öne  Söirtfrfjaft ! 

(5r  n)i(l  öon  un^  nic^t^  tuiffcm 


There  must  be  a  change. 
The  snow  is  turning  to  water. 
How  are  things  going  ? 
The  work  is  in  progress. 
He  threw  stones  at  him. 
He  called  people  (bad)  names. 

There  is  something  under  way. 
Your  favor  of  the  nth  inst.  was 
duly  received. 

He  keeps  to  himself. 

He  made  a  great  fuss. 
That's  not  our  agreement. 
Confound  it !     Great  Scott  1 
At  what  time   does  the   train 

leave  ? 
What  day  of  the  month  is  it  ? 

How  high  up  is  he  in  the  class? 

Till  we  meet  again. 
Do  as  he  wishes. 
If  I  had  my  way. 

He  beckoned  to  me. 

She  teaches  in  an  elementary 
school. 

That's  a  nice  condition  of  af- 
fairs ! 

He  does  not  want  to  have  any- 
thing to  do  with  us. 


^ 


w 


84 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


3Stffctt  Sie  toa^? 

,Ma^  gibt'«  ^Jltm^?"   Mä)t^, 

ba^  id)  w^tc," 
^d)  fomme,  \m  mögüd). 
5n  btefen  3^^^^^/  ^^  ^^^^^^  ^^i^^^ 

tft. 
2Ö0  ift  er  ^er? 
Q\}m  tft  tü0^I  in  Tlntt. 
(5r  fommt  too^I  ^eute  nod), 
„^ommt   er    ^eute?"     „§eute 

m6)t,  nio^I  aber  morgen." 

(5r  tft  ttjo^l  arm,  aber  .  .  . 
Sa§  ttJtö  er? 

Ta^  §0(5  tottt  ntc^t  brennen. 
(5r  tutii  nad)  (Sngtanb. 
dv  ttittt  i^m  iüot)I. 

Saö  ttJoöte  ic^  marfjen? 

3c^  wtü  e§  ntc^t  geprt  ^aben. 

(Sr  ujitt  eg  felbft  gefe^en  I)aben. 

T)a^  itJttt  trf)  gem  gtanben. 
^a§  ttJitt  mir  nirf)t  rec^t  ein^ 

Ieu(^  ten. 
3n  iDem  tooöen  Sie  ? 
5luf  etn^ort! 
ßr  führte  H^  Söort 
Sie  njerben  3^^  blaueö  SSunber 

erleben. 
(5ö  nimmt  mi(^  munbcr,  ba^  id) 

fo  gefunb  bleibe. 
üDc  ^aben  Sie  einen  guten  SBurf 

getan. 


I'll  tell  you  what. 

"  What  is  there  new ? "    "Noth- 
ing that  I  know  of.  ' 

I  shall  come  if  possible.  ^" 

In    these    times,   when   every- 
thing is  dear. 

Where  is  he  from  ? 

He  is  in  good  spirits. 

I  suppose  he  will  come  to-day. 

''Will  he  come  to-day.?"    "Not    ^ 
to-day,  but  probably  to-mor- 
row." 

It  is  true  he  is  poor,  but  ...       ^ 

What  does  he  want  ? 

The  wood  won't  burn. 

He  wishes  to  go  to  England. 

He    is   well   disposed   toward 
him. 

What  could  I  do  ? 

I  will  pretend  I  didn't  hear  it. 

He  claims  to  have  seen  it  him- 
self. 

I  readily  believe  that. 

I  can't  quite  see  that  (your  ar- 
gument). 

For  v/hom  are  you  looking  ? 

Just  a  word  1 

He  was  the  spokesman. 

You  will   see  something   that 
will  amaze  you. 

I  am  surprised  that  I  keep  so 
well. 

You  made  a  good  haul  there. 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


85 


(go  murmt  mtc^. 

3:)a«  ift  mir  Söurft    (Cf.  (gg  ift 

mir  aöc^  ein«.    (S«  ift  mir 

einerlei). 


It  annoys  (worries)  me. 
That's  all  the  same  to  me. 


as 


(gr  tooiitc  mir  ein  dl  für  ein  U 
mad)en. 


He  tried  to  humbug  me. 


3 


«Sie  finb  öier^ig  on  ber  S^¥* 
Kellner,  ja^kn! 
dt  füllte  mir  auf  ben  B^J^«- 
^r  f)at  mir  bie  ^cit  geboten, 
kommen  @ie  beizeiten ! 
dx  i)at  ha?>  3eitHc^e  gefegnet. 
^r  \}at  nirf)t  ha^  S^H  ^^3^^- 
(Sr  ging  in«  B^Mg* 
X)a«  ift  bumme«  ä^wg* 
Sir  jogen  nacf)  T)re«ben. 
Sßir  jogen  fie  in«  ©e^eimni«. 
(5«  jte^t  in  biefem  ^ttnmer. 

Sy^eine  ^lante  50g  ba«  ^inb  grog. 
!Da«  ^flafter  ^ki^t  gut. 
9?a)3o(eon  50g  nad^  9?ug(anb. 
!iDiefer  ®runb  jic^t  bet  mir  nirf)t. 

dx  ift  fo  jicmltc^  öon  meinem 

5irter. 
3tcrctt  (gte  fic^  nic^t ! 
Qä)  get)e  ju  meinem  trüber. 

(Cf.  3f(^  ge^e  ttcd^  aJKinc^en), 


y 


They  are  forty  in  number. 
Waiter,  the  bill,  please. 
He  sounded  me. 
He  passed  me  the  time  of  day. 
Come  in  good  season  (time). 
He  has  departed  this  life. 
He  is  not  the  man  for  it. 
He  set  to  work  with  a  will. 
That  is  stuff  and  nonsense. 
We  moved  to  Dresden. 
We  let  her  into  the  secret. 
There   is   a   draught   in   this 

room. 
My  aunt  brought  up  the  child. 
The  plaster  draws  well. 
Napoleon  set  out  for  Russia. 
That  argument  doesn't  go  down 

with  me. 
He  is  pretty  much  the  same 

age  as  I  am. 
Don't  make  so  much  ceremony. 
I  am  going  to  my  brother. 


86 


GERMAN  IDIOMS 


dv  ftecEte  e^  511  ftc^. 
2Bir  finb  ju  t)iert. 
dx  reift  ptx  Gr^olnng. 
T)a^  ©auö  ift  5u  nerfaufen. 
So  f)aben  Sie  bie  3^^^  hH^' 

hxa^t? 
^r  jurft  mit  ben  5lcf)feln. 
(Bit  muffen  fidi  bamit  5ufricbcu 

geben. 
'5)er  Dfen  ^at  feinen  3«g- 
!t)er  Äranfe  lag  in  ben  letzten 

3ügem 
(Sr  tran!  in  langen  3w9Ctt. 
!Da^  ©efic^t  f)at  fc^arfe  3«öe. 

Tlit  xa\d)tn  SH^^  f!i', gierte  er 

ha^  aj^äbc^en. 
Qd)  l)abe  ben  S^^  öerpaBt. 
3d)  bin  im  3ugc, 
(Greifen  (Sie  §u ! 
Wla^c  bie  3:itr  ju ! 
!Da«  Sinb  ^at  eine  f(i)tt)ere  3un= 

Sein  9lame  frfinjebt  mir  anf  ber 

3uttgc. 
3(i)  !ann  mit  i^m  nic^t  ^uret^t» 

fommem 
(Sr  na^m  fi(^  jufammeu. 
©(^reiben  Sie  t>a^  fid)  felbft  ju ! 
Dag  ^dtte  id)  it)m  nid^t  gugc» 

traut 
(5^  ift  mir  in  ber  Seete  juttitbcr, 
Sie  l)aben  brei  ^Hnber  unb  jtoar 

einen  So{)n  unb  itüti  ^öd)ter. 


He  put  it  in  his  pocket. 

There  are  four  of  us.  '\/ 

He  is  traveling  for  relaxation. 

The  house  is  for  sale. 

Where  did  you  spend  the  time? 

He  shrugs  his  shoulders. 
You  must  put  up  with  it. 

The  stove  has  no  draught. 

The  patient  was  dying.  A 

He  drank  deep  draughts. 
The  face  has  strongly  marked 

features. 
He  sketched  the  girl  with  rapid 

strokes. 
I  missed  the  train.  ^ 

I  am  in  the  humor. 
Help  yourself. 
Shut  the  door. 
The  child  has  an  impediment 

in  its  speech. 
His  name  is  on  the  tip  of  my 

tongue. 
I  can't  get  along  with  him. 

He  pulled  himself  together. 

Blame  yourself  for  that. 

I  should  not  have  thought  him 

capable  of  that. 
I  abominate  it.  ^ 

They  have  three  children,  name-       • 

lyone  son  and  two  daughters, 


GERMAN  IDIOMS  87 

dx   l)at   gefrf)rieben,   unb    ^\mt     He  has  written,  and,  what  is      y 
Xtä^t  au^fü^rlid).  more,  very  explicitly. 

^r  !am  ^toaXf  bod)  Xoaf^  ^u  fpät.      He  did  come,  but  it  was  too      ■;>( 

late. 

(5^  unterliegt  feittetn  3^cifclr     There  is  no  doubt  that  he  will 
ha^  er  tommt»  come. 


I 


EXERCISES 

Note.  —  The  numbers  In  the  notes  after  each  exercise  refer  to  the  corresponding  sentences 
of  tiie  exercise.  The  words  after  the  numbers  are  the  heavy-face  key-words  under  which  the 
required  German  idioms  will  be  found. 

I 

I.  The  favor  of  an  early  answer  is  requested.  2.  I  am  sorry 
to  say  he  is  a  marked  man.  3.  By  my  watch,  which  however 
is  slow,  it  is  only  eight  o'clock.  4.  The  father  says  his  son 
will  never  succeed  because  he  blurts  things  out.  5.  The  old 
man  became  a  charge  upon  the  town.  6.  Why  did  you  not 
heed  my  words?  7.  We  all  have  our  hands  full.  8.  You  can  not 
put  me  off  like  this.  9.  I  can't  quite  see  that.  10.  He  did 
come,  but  it  was  too  late.  ir.  Will  you  be  one  of  us  ?  12.  They 
came  a  short  time  ago. 

1.  balbig.  2.  leibcr,  Sf^egifter.  3.  auf,  nad^get)cu.  4.  grün,  Züt,  5.  fal» 
ten.  6.  ^ötcu.  7.  §anb.  8.  abfertigen,  9.  n^oHen.  10.  ^tvav,  11.  babei. 
12.  furs. 

II 

I.  What  day  of  the  month  is  it  ?  2.  There  must  be  a  change. 
3.  One  must  help  his  neighbor  in  distress.  4.  Do  not  always 
be  harping  on  the  same  old  string.  5.  We  can't  make  head 
or  tail  of  it.  6.  How  many  persons  are  occupying  this  house? 
7.  He  will  not  set  the  world  on  fire.  8.  That  caps  the  climax. 
9.  They  have  cheated  him.  10.  They  want  to  deceive  me. 
II.  It  seems  I  always  get  the  worst  of  it.  12.  This  cloth  is 
cheap,  but  the  quality  is  in  keeping  with  the  price. 

1.  njieoielt.  2.  merbcn.  3.  nädjfi.  4.  anftimmen.  5.  barau«.  6.  innc. 
7.  ^ulöer.    8.  Äronc.    9.  O^r.    10.  l^ic^t.    11.  furj.    12.  banac^. 

89 


00  EXERCISES 

III 

I.  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I  have  not  read  the  book.  2.  Every- 
body says  we  made  a  lucky  find.  3.  It  is  hardly  worth  while. 
4.  As  matters  stand,  they  will  not  come  to-day,  but  probably  to- 
morrow. 5.  Why  don't  you  do  it  on  your  own  hook  ?  6.  He 
lost  his  whole  fortune.  7.  The  prettiest  miss  in  the  whole  vil- 
lage gave  him  the  mitten.  8.  The  cigars  you  gave  me  are  not 
so  bad.     9.  When  you  get  home,  remember  me  to  your  mother. 

10.  I  should   like  it  if  you  did  not  mix  me  up  in  the  affair. 

11.  If  he  does  not  run  away,  he  will  be  put  in  jail.     12.  I  should 
rather  die. 

1.  cigcntlid^.  2.  gunb.  3.  Tl\if)t.  4.  liegen,  tt)ol)l  5.  %an%  6.  fom» 
men.    7.  53acfftjcf),  Äorb.    8.  laffen.    9.  §au8,  empfehlen.    10.  lieb,  <2>pkl 

11.  ®taub,  ^oif.    12.  aeber. 

IV 

I.  Why  do  you  not  get  to  work?  2.  Get  out  of  my  way. 
3.  Excuse  me.  4.  Why  do  you  pretend  to  be  asleep  ?  5.  Fortu- 
nately there  was  no  one  at  home.  6.  All's  well  that  ends  well. 
7.  The  Bible  says,  "  Thou  shalt  honor  thy  father  and  thy 
mother."  8.  I  saw  him  only  yesterday,  and  to-day  it  is  reported 
that  he  committed  suicide.  9.  I  do  not  like  you  to  put  on  airs. 
10.  Come,  the  sooner  the  better.     11.  You  must  not  be  offended. 

12.  He  is  anything  but  stupid. 

1.  madden,  2.  2öeg.  3.  entfc^utbigen.  4.  tun.  5.  ©liicf.  6.  Snbc. 
7.  Reißen,  jotlen.  8.  erft,  ^ei^en,  bringen.  9.  gefallen,  breit.  10.  je.  11.  übel» 
netimen.    12.  ttjcniger. 

V 

I.  Will  you  do  this  to  please  me?  That  all  depends.  2.  The 
window  looking  on  the  yard  affords  a  beautiful  view.  3.  We 
are  in  a  dilemma.  4.  You  can  depend  upon  it  that  he  will 
accomplish  it.     4.  May  I  rely  on  him  ?     6.  You  can  be  abso- 


EXERCISES  91 

lutely  sure  of  that.     7.  He  is  the  very  man  I  am  looking  for. 

8.  He  failed  to  pass  the  examination  and  was  not  promoted. 

9.  I  will  do  my  utmost.     10.  He  is  thoroughly  bad.     11.  Boys 
will  be  boys.     12.  What  in  the  world  can  this  mean  ? 

1.  ©efaHen,  je.  2.  naiii,  getoä^ren.  3.  'Stat  4.  ocrtoffeu,  2öeg.  5.  bür- 
fcn.     6.  @ift.     7.  eben.     8.  bur(i)fatten,  fi^en.     9.  möglidi.     10.  @runb. 

11.  3ugcnb.    12.  SSelt. 

VI 

I.  There  is  a  draught  in  this  room.  I  caught  cold  here  yes- 
terday. 2.  He  comes  only  now  and  then,  but  he  is  always  wel- 
come. 3.  He  is  not  exactly  my  friend,  but  I  like  him.  4.  We 
must  not  let  ourselves  be  scared  off.  5.  I  can  say  nothing 
but  good  of  him.  6.  He  is  at  loggerheads  with  his  brother. 
7.  Henry,  were  you  playing  truant  again?  8.  Don't  crow  too 
soon.  9.  You  will  have  to  get  along  the  best  you  can.  10.  I 
will  give  him  a  piece  of  my  mind.     11.  That  is  pure  fiction. 

12.  There  is  some  truth  in  it. 

1.  sicken,  erfälten.  2.  bann,  gern.  3.  gcrabc,  gem.  4.  3Bo(Jö^oni.  5.  nadf: 
tagen.  6.  @treit.  7.  fc^iuängcn.  8.  ^benb.  9.  fertig.  10.  3Jieinung. 
11.  euft.    12.  o^ne. 

VII 

I.  May  I  have  the  pleasure  of  the  next  dance  with  you,  Miss 
North  ?  2.  He  makes  no  allowance  for  the  cold  weather. 
3.  Stick  to  the  point.  4.  If  it  did  not  rain  so  hard,  we  would 
pay  our  friend  a  visit.  5.  If  that's  all,  it  will  come  out  all  right. 
6.  It  will  be  a  long  time  before  that  happens.  7.  He  is  over 
head  and  ears  in  debt.  8.  You  are  on  the  wrong  track.  9.  God 
is  no  respecter  of  persons.  10.  He  has  feathered  his  nest. 
II.  I  can't  quite  see  your  argument.  12.  I  should  not  have 
thought  him  capable  of  that. 

1.  aufforbern.  2.  ?)?iidtft(i)t.  3.  @arf)e.  4.  ftarf,  abflatten.  5.  treiter, 
madien.  6.  ??erne.  7.  big.  8.  ^olsmeg.  9.  ^crfon.  10,  @(^äfd)en.  11.  mU 
ten.    12.  jutraucn. 


92  EXERCISES 

VIII 

I.  This  remark  does  not  refer  to  you.  2.  He  kills  two  birds 
with  one  stone.  3.  You  are  in  bad  humor  to-day.  4.  Why  do 
you  go  about  it  so  gingerly  ?  5.  They  put  me  off  with  fine 
speeches.  6.  At  heart  he  is  a  good  man.  7.  I  wish  to  call  your 
attention  to  the  fact  that  agriculture  takes  first  rank.  8.  They 
made    a   great   fuss.     9.  Why   can't  you  get  along  with  him? 

10.  It  is  a  put-up  job.     11.  Is  it  absolutely  necessary  for  me  to 
come  ?     12.  She  can't  bear  the  sight  of  him. 

1.  bc3iel)cn.  2.  gtiegc.  3.  ?aunc.  4.  S3rei.  5.  abfpeifen.  6.  (Sninb. 
7.  aufmerffom,   «Stelle.      8.  SBefcn.      9.  3ured)tfommen.      10.  abgetartet. 

11.  burd)au8.    12.  tcibcn. 

IX 

I.  I  am  sorry  that  their  relations  are  strained.  2.  I  was  un- 
certain as  to  what  I  should  do.  3.  He  did  not  mean  to  do  it. 
4.  According  to  my  opinion  you  ought  to  let  that  pass.  5.  I 
shall  write  at  the  first  opportunity.  6.  I  gave  it  to  him  good. 
7.  If  you  did  not  mail  the  letters,  you  will  have  to  go  to  the 
postoffice  with  them.  8.  I  shall  not  stand  on  a  trifle.  9.  The 
matter  is   urgent.     10.  Something  has  gone  wrong  with  him. 

11.  I  never  thought  of  such  a  thing.     12.  Do  you  attach  much 
importance  to  it  ? 

1.  leib,  gefpannt.  2.  einig.  3.  ^^lei^.  4.  na<i),  gut.  5.  näc^ft.  6.  S3ab. 
7.  aufgeben,  ^oft.     8.  anfommen.     9.  (Stle.     10.  Ouere.     11.  etnfatleu. 

12.  ©eroic^t. 

X 

I.  A  person  who  lets  everything  go  down  with  him  will  be 
fleeced.  2.  I  do  not  care  a  rap  what  becomes  of  him.  3.  We 
must  accommodate  ourselves  to  the  situation.  4.  He  knows  how 
to  keep  a  close  mouth.  5.  I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  him. 
6.  If  I  had  my  way,  he  would  have  to  go.     7.  He  is  from  the 


EXERCISES  93 

neighborhood.  8.  There  is  something  mysterious  about  it. 
9.  Why  do  you  always  keep  putting  it  off?  10.  You  are  just 
in  time.     11.  Leave  me  alone.     12.  Did  any  one  ask  for  me? 

1.  aufbinben,  Söffet.  2.  liegen,  auQ,  3.  fügen.  4.  3Jinnb.  5.  jd^affen. 
6.  SBiKen,  fort.  7.  9^ä^e.  8.  S)ing.  9.  iBanf.   10.  eben.    11.  9tu^e.    12.  na6). 

XI 

I .  That  will  come  into  vogue  again.  2 .  If  my  watch  had  not 
stopped,  I  would  have  been  here  early  in  the  morning.  3.  Such 
as  I  dare  not  say  that.  4.  This  furniture  was  bought  second 
hand  and  paid  for  in  cash.  5.  Why  should  you  not  come  to  an 
understanding  with  him  ?  6.  It  is  quite  correct  that  he  styles 
himself  a  poet.  7.  He  would  have  many  friends  if  he  did  not 
keep  to  himself  so  [much].  8.  She  is  fond  of  him,  and  he 
makes  a  great  deal  of  her.  9.  It  all  depends  upon  you  whether 
we  shall  accomplish  this.  10.  The  house  is  for  sale.  11,  He 
is  a  big  gun.     12.  The  case  is  just  the  reverse. 

1.  ®ang.  2.  bleiben,  ^rü{|c.  3.  einer.  4.  ^anb,  bar.  5.  rein.  6.  Sfiic^. 
ttgfcit,  ausgeben.  7.  SSefen.  8.  lieh,  §anb.  9.  3Beg,  an!ommen.  10.  ju, 
11.  Ziev,    12.  untgefel^rt. 

XII 
I.  I  received  this  watch  as  a  present.  2.  I  have  no  alter- 
native but  to  move.  3.  Well,  going  to  be  all  day  about  it? 
4.  If  you  take  that  for  gospel  truth,  I  will  renounce  you.  5.  I  am 
glad  that  you  reminded  me  of  it.  6.  He  is  a  thorn  in  my  flesh 
as  it  is.  7.  Did  you  agree  to  that  ?  I  had  to.  8.  I  believe  he  is 
at  death's  door.  9.  I  am  a  stranger  here.  10.  Don't  you  dare 
to  offend  him.  11.  He  can  see  through  a  brick  wall.  12.  He 
isn't  worth  a  red  cent. 

1.  fcl)enlen.  2.  übrig,  augjiel^en.  8.  na.  4.  bar,  loSfagen.  5.  erinnern. 
6.  3)orn,  fo.  7.  eingeben,  muffen.  8.  lange.  9.  S3cfrf|eib.  10.  bei,  Äo^f. 
11.  ©ra«.    12.  fetter. 


94  EXERCISES 

XIII 

I.  I  can't  help  it  that  they  are  quarreling.  2.  They  are  dis- 
puting about  trifles.  3.  If  you  make  such  a  fuss  about  it,  it  will 
be  known  far  and  wide.  4.  It  shall  not  be  said  that  I  caused 
him  to  lose  his  fortune.  5.  It  has  come  to  such  a  pass  with 
him  that  he  has  nothing  at  all.  6.  Do  you  know  what  play  is 
on  to-night?  Im  weissen  Ross' I  is  running  now.  7.  Now  I 
shall  do  it  less  than  ever.  8.  These  goods  meet  with  a  brisk 
demand  although  it  is  still  cold.  9.  They  made  short  work  of 
him.  ID.  Those  are  just  my  sentiments.  11.  Have  you  settled 
that  among  yourselves  ?     12.  Continued  in  our  next. 

1.  bafür,  ^aar.  2.  53art.  3.  9lcbcn,  breit.  4.  Reißen,  bringen.  5.  ba^in, 
gar.  6.  geben.  7.  rec^t.  8.  "Ibfat?,  fc^on.  9.  ^ro^c^.  10.  @eele.  IL  au8» 
marf)en.    12.  goitfetjung. 

XIV 

I.  That  just  suits  his  purpose.  2.  You  are  mistaken  if  you  think 
he  is  out  of  his  mind.  3.  They  made  a  hearty  meal.  4.  The 
youngsters  made  faces  when  the  conversation  turned  upon  their 
teacher.  5.  There  is  no  telling  where  it  will  end.  6.  What's 
the  news?  7.  Do  as  I  do.  8.  You  found  your  match  there. 
9.  He  stopped  short.  10.  I  am  opposed  to  it.  11.  I  shall 
finish  by  to-morrow  evening.     12.  Is  any  one  waiting  on  you? 

I.  Äram.  2.  irren,  @inn.  3.  kffen.  4.  ©cfid^t,  $Rebe.  5.  abfetzen. 
6.  geben.  7.  fo.  8.  rec^t.  9.  abbred^en.  10.  bagegen.  11.  bi«.  12.  be» 
bienen. 

XV 

I.  He  spends  a  great  deal  and  lives  a  merry  life.  2.  They 
took  all  he  had.  3.  I  hurt  myself,  it  is  true,  but  I  had  a  lucky 
escape.  4.  In  Germany  one  sees  many  things  that  are  differ- 
ent in  our  country.  5.  Even  his  friends  make  fun  of  him. 
6.  Put  out  the  light  and  close  the  window.     7.  Since  he  has  be- 


EXERCISES  95 

come  rich,  he  does  not  want  to  have  anything  to  do  with  us. 
8.  What's  your  hurry?  9.  He  is  in  politics.  10.  He  is  a 
man  of  honor.     11.  That's  a  long  way  off.     12.  Nonsense  1 

1.  brauf,  iBrauS.  2.  §qu8.  3.  \m\),  gtrar,  baoontommen.  4.  anber«, 
.t>aug.  5.  fclbft,  au8la(f)cn.  6.  au«nia(i)cn,  junia(f)en.  7.  tt)i[[cn.  8.  bren= 
nen.    9.  treibcu.    10.  2üh.    11.  SBeg.    12.  ci. 


XVI 

I.  Mind  you  don't  appropriate  the  work  of  others.  2.  Never 
put  off  till  to-morrow  what  can  be  done  to-day.  3.  He 
coolly  skipped.  4.  I  came  near  falling.  5.  Do  your  home- 
work, or  you  will  have  to  stay  in  to-morrow.  6.  Then  he  thought 
better  of  it.  7.  Will  you  give  me  another  cup  ?  8.  How  is 
your  health  to-day  ?  My  stomach  is  out  of  order.  9.  That  is 
out  of  place,  as  matters  stand.  10.  What  do  you  mean  by 
that  ?     II.  I  know  that  by  heart.     12.  Just  go  on. 

1.  bafj,  eigen.  2.  auijdiiebcn.  3.  nid)t«,  burdibreunen.  4.  balb.  5.  Sliif^ 
Qahe,  narfjft^en.  6.  bebenfen.  7.  iioc^.  8.  ®efunbf)eit,  ^aben.  9.  ^|J(al?, 
liegen.    10.  bebeutcn.    11.  augwenbig.    12.  nur. 

XVII 

I.  My  father  used  to  say»  *'  More  haste,  less  speed."  2.  The 
patient  has  taken  no  food  in  five  days  and  is  dying.  3.  It  is  all 
very  well  for  you    to  talk.     4.  What  is   the  matter  with  you  ? 

5.  It  is  too  funny  for  anything.  6.  Here  is  the  general  deliv- 
ery window.  7.  Please  send  my  letters  in  care  of  Mr.  N. 
8.  Answer  my  letter  by  return  mail.  9.  I  shall  write  you  before 
the  end  of  the  week.  10.  He  is  by  far  the  best.  11.  He  is 
pretty  much  the  same  age  as  I  am.     12.  Charity  begins  at  home. 

1.  Pflegen,  (Sile.     2.  nehmen,  3ug.     3.  gnt.     4.  I)oben.     5.  2:otlQd)en. 

6.  poftlagcrnb.  7.  bitten,  per.  8.  umgeljen.  9.  nod).  10.  welt,  11.  jtem- 
lid).    12.  nä^% 


96  EXERCISES 

XVIII 

I.  Why  don't  you  broach  the  matter  ?  2.  I  am  at  your  ser- 
vice. 3.  If  the  weather  should  change,  perhaps  you  will  feel 
like  taking  a  walk?     4.    It  is  a  long  time  since    1    saw  you. 

5.  He  was  about  to  leave  town,  but  we  upset  his  plans.  6.  To 
tell  the  plain  truth,  he  is  a  henpecked  husband.  7.  He  is  super- 
fluous. 8.  He  is  not  like  the  same  fellow.  9.  This  day  week  I 
was  staying  with  my  friend.  10.  This  day  week  we  shall  go  to 
the  country.  11.  It  is  hard  to  get  along  with  him.  12.  What 
can  I  do  for  you  ? 

1.  laptt     2.  ftc^en.     3.  \oUt\\,  ?u[t.     4.  nicf)t.    .5.  33e(?rtff,  9?e(f)nung. 

6.  fagen,  ^antoffell^clb.  7.  9lab.  8.  ol^nUc^.  9.  ^eute,  ®aft.  10.  ^cutc, 
?aub.    11.  m\\ä)t.    12.  gcfämg. 

XIX 

I.  All  aboard  for  Aachen.  2.  Where  do  we  change  cars  for 
Dresden?  3.  Have  you  bought  your  ticket  ?  4.  Shall  we  travel 
second  or  third  class  ?  5.  Do  we  go  by  way  of  Cologne  ?  6.  We 
are  going  to  make  a  little  side-trip  to  Mannheim,  but  for  the 
present  we  shall  stay  here.  7.  We  shall  arrive  at  Frankfort  this 
evening.  8.  We  may  consider  ourselves  lucky  that  we  did  not 
travel  by  that  train.  9.  That's  the  way  of  the  world.  10.  When 
in  Rome,  do  as  the  Romans  do.  11.  Will  the  ladies  and  gentle- 
men dine  now?     12.  Waiter,  the  bill,  please. 

1.  cinfteigcn.  2.  umfteigen.  3.  löfcn.  4.  fa'^rcn.  5.  über.  6.  %h' 
ftecf)er,  ^anb.  7.  eintreffen.  8.  fagen.  9.  l^erge'^en.  10.  Reuten.  11.  ^txv' 
fd^aft.    12.  jagten. 

XX 

I.  How  old  do  you  take  him  to  be  ?  2.  He  is  some  eighty 
years  old.  3.  W^hat  is  the  state  of  his  health  ?  4,  He  is  ill,  or 
even  dead  by  this  time.  5.  We  do  not  wish  to  be  a  burden  on 
you.     6.  There  is  not  a  soul  at  home.     7,  What  do  you  infer 


EXERCISES  '97 

from  that?  8.  It  is  all  Greek  to  me.  9.  I  have  often  given 
him  a  lecture,  but  he  always  takes  his  own  way.  10.  His  scheme 
came  to  nought.  11.  All  is  not  lost  yet.  12.  He  would  be 
here  unless  he  is  ill. 

1.  fcJ^Qljcn.      2.  einig.      3.  SBeftnbcn.      4.  gar.      5.  ?Qft.      6.  2Renjc^. 

I.  jrf)Iic§cn.  8.  bö^mijc^.  9.  lefen,  l^onbeln.  10.  SSoffcr.  11.  ^olcn. 
12.  muffen. 

XXI 

I.  I  am  doing  this  of  my  own  free  will.  2.  Now  is  the  time 
to  show  your  colors.  3.  I  can  not  bring  myself  to  put  the  old 
dog  out  of  the  way.  4.  Let  us  think  no  more  of  it.  5.  Well, 
what  strange  things  can  happen  in  this  world  !  6.  We  all  had 
a  narrow  escape.  7.  That  comes  in  just  right.  8.  I  am  quite 
agreeable  that  you  should  try  other  means.  9.  What  has  become 
of  my  hat?  10.  I  have  lost  track  of  him.  11.  A  good  begin- 
ning is  half  the  battle.     12.  He  sticks  to  me  like  a  burr. 

1.  frei.  2.  gelten,  garbe.  3.  ^erj,  fdjoffcn.  4.  fc^Iagen.  5.  nein. 
6.  tnapp.    7.  treffen.    8.  rec^t,  etnfc^Iogen.    9.  I^infommen.    10.  fommen. 

II.  frtfd).    12. 


XXII 

I.  Can  you  give  me  change  for  five  dollars?  2.  Every  one 
has  his  limitations.  3.  We  shall  not  do  that  in  any  event. 
4.  There  is  no  remedy  for  death.  5.  He  is  low-spirited  and 
mutters.  6.  They  are  hand  and  glove  together.  7.  Not  till 
then  did  it  occur  to  me  that  I  had  no  money  about  me.  8.  We 
could  scarcely  keep  from  laughing.  9.  Time  will  show  whether 
he  is  adapted  to  the  position.  10.  It  is  all  up  with  him. 
II.  Th^t  proved  effectual  with  him.  12.  You  must  not  make 
sport  of  him. 

1.  herausgeben.  2.  SBaunt.  3.  ^alt.  4.  Äraut.  5.  ©rifle,  S3art. 
6.  S)e(fe-  7.  erft,  bet.  8.  entl)alten.  9.  teuren,  paffen.  10.  SJiatt^äu«. 
11.  anfc^Iagen.    12.  befl. 


98  EXERCISES 

XXIII 

I.  If  one  has  a  well-filled  purse,  he  can  make  his  way  through 
the  world.  2.  Do  not  mispronounce  the  word.  3.  There  is 
no  use  crying  over  spilt  mUk.  4.  He  has  big  ideas  and  puts  on 
airs.  5.  I  do  not  trouble  my  head  about  it.  6.  He  makes 
great  pretensions,  but  is  highly  respected.  7.  In  short,  from 
this  day  forth  things  must  go  differently.  8.  He  is  flourish- 
ing. 9.  That  beats  everything.  10.  He  has  his  own  troubles. 
II.  You'd  better  not  come.     12.  In  the  abstract  it  is  true. 

1.  58örjc,  SScIt.  2.  folfc^.  3.  änbent.  4.  ^opl  brcit.  5.  fiimmcnt. 
6.  5lujpruci),  angcje^cn.  7.  machen,  an.  8.  SBcijcn.  9.  über.  10.  dlot 
11.  lieber.    12.  für. 

XXIV 
I.  It  makes  no  difference  whether  he  flares  up  or  not.  2.  I 
lose  all  patience  with  those  who  are  always  picking  a  quarrel. 
3.  Do  you  attach  much  importance  to  it?  4.  They  are  on  good 
terms  with  each  other.  5.  It  amounts  to  the  same  thing.  6.  I 
do  not  agree  with  him.  7.  If  this  seat  is  not  engaged,  you 
may  bring  me  a  sandwich.     8.  Will  you  do  an  errand  for  me  ? 

9.  Do  not  stand  on  ceremony.     10.  Do  not  be  too  hard  on  him. 
II.  It  is  not  as  easy  as  it  looks.     12.  His  life  is  at  stake. 

1.  QU«mo(f)en,  ^euer.  2.  auSgctien,  §anbel.  3.  legen.  4.  gu^.  5.  fjer- 
augfommen.      6.  übereinftimmen.      7.  belegt.      8.  @ang.      9.  Umftanb. 

10.  ®eri(^t.    11.  ^aten.    12.  ?eben. 

XXV 

I.  Now  tell  us  what  to  do.  2.  You  must  accommodate  your- 
self to  his  wishes  if  you  wish  to  accomplish  anything.  3.  Is  he 
angry  with  you  ?  4.  Somebody  must  have  given  him  a  hint  of 
it.  5.  I  gave  him  a  good  scolding.  6.  The  physician  has  set 
him  on  his  feet  again.  7.  I  shall  give  him  a  lecture.  8.  Don't 
you  do  it.     9.  I  can  not  get  it  out  of  my  head,     10,  We  come 


* 


EXERCISES  99 

with  the  intention  of  learning,  ii.  Where  is  he  employed? 
12.  Open  the  book. 

1.  Sftat.  2.  rid)ten,  ausrichten.  3.  böfe.  4.  ftecfen.  5.  ^elg.  6.  2)amm. 
7.  lefcn.    8.  bleiben.    9.  @inn.    10.  5lbft(f)t.    11.  anftetten.    12.  aufschlagen. 

XXVI 
I.  We  must  find  that  out.     2.  Do  you  look  forward  to  it  with 
pleasure  ?     3.  I  will  allow  that  you  are  right.     4.  Shall  we  con- 
sider the  matter  in  private  ?     5.  We  will  need   that   anyhow. 

6.  Do  not  act  as  if  you  were  not  in  your  right  senses.  7.  Make 
yourself  at  home.  8.  Tell  me  what  it  is  all  about.  9.  He 
spares  no  pains  in  anything.  10.  Necessity  knows  no  law. 
II.  The  worst  is  over.     12.  Time  will  show. 

1.  au«finbig.    2.  barauf.    3.  joUen.    4.  5Iuge.    5.  fo.    6.  anfteUen,  bei. 

7.  bequem.    8.  t)anbeln.    9.  öerbrte^en.    10.  (Sifen.    11.  fd^wer.    12.  lehren. 

XXVII 

I.  What  is  the  use  of  crying  ?  You  escaped  unharmed.  2.  If 
he  had  not  abandoned  me,  I  should  have  given  him  a  fresh 
start.  3.  It  was  intended  to  anger  me.  4.  If  I  could  get  at 
him,  I  would  give  him  a  whipping.  5.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
he  was  rebuffed.  6.  It  is  to  be  had  for  nothing.  7.  Things 
have  taken  a  new  turn.     8.  He  is  in  reduced  circumstances. 

9.  He  always  paid  in  advance.  10.  I'll  take  no  orders  from 
you.  II.  I  can  not  agree  to  that.  12.  He  makes  a  poor 
appearance. 

1.  follen,  ^aut.  2.  @tid^,  S3ttn.  3.  anlegen.  4.  beifommen,  @ci)Iag. 
5.  3rt)eifel,  abbilden.     6.  umfonft.     7.  tt)enben.     8.  herunter.    9.  öorauS. 

10.  befehlen.    11.  eingetjen.    12.  ausnehmen. 

XXVIII 

I.  I  am  in  the  humor  to  give  you  a  blowing  up.  2.  He  tried 
to  humbug  me.     3.  How  is  he  behaving  ?     4.  So  far  as  I  am 


100  '  EXERCISES 

concerned,  I  shall  make  short  work  of  it.  5.  Please  step  this 
way.  6.  They  can  manage  him  easily.  7.  How  high  up  in  his 
class  is  he  ?  8.  That  was  a  good  guess.  9.  Let  him  do  as  he 
likes.  10.  The  enemy  was  put  to  the  sword.  11.  Why  reject 
the  good  with  the  bad  ?     12.  Now  we  will  stop  work  for  the  day. 

1.  3iig,  Äopf.  2.  36.  3.  aupt)ren.  4.  betreffen,  ^eberlcfen.  .5.  be^ 
mii^en.  6.  Ieid)t.  7.  trieüielt.  8,  roten.  9.  fd^alten.  10.  .^Unge. 
11.  Äinb.    12.  geierabenb. 

XXIX 

I.  He  is  not  the  man  for  it.  2.  Will  he  become  a  physician  ? 
He  is  not  likely  to.     3.  His  name  has  slipped  my  memory. 

4.  You  are  bored  because  you  do  not  know  how  to  take  a  joke. 

5.  A  burnt  child  dreads  the  fire.  6.  I'll  make  him  suffer  for  it. 
7.  My  plan  miscarried.  8.  His  work  has  been  successful  be- 
cause he  thought  it  worth  while.  9.  He  departed  this  life  in 
his  best  years.  10.  Mark  what  I  tell  you.  11,  Everything  is 
topsy-turvy  here.     12.  I  am  in  a  hurry. 

1.  3fW9-  2.  au6fef)en.  3.  entfalten.  4.  ^angetneile,  @pa^.  5.  (grfa!^= 
rung.    6.  entgelten.    7.  fe^If(^Iagen.    8.  geraten,  Mü\)t,    9.  jeitlic^,  Sllter. 

10.  ac^t.    11.  brübcr.    12.  (Sue. 

XXX 

I.  They  pulled  themselves  together  and  stood  the  test. 
2.  Were  you  among  the  number,  too  ?  3.  They  were  all  young 
people.  4.  It  is  his  way  to  presume  too  much,  5.  Will  you 
join  us  in  the  trip?  6.  Don't  be  so  inquisitive.  7»  Some  time 
we  will  meet  again.  8.  We  should  consider  it  our  duty  to  do  it. 
9.  Beware  of  this  man.  10.  I  shall  not  put  an  obstacle  in  his 
way.  II.  He  has  a  good  reputation.  12.  And  there's  an  end 
of  it. 

1.  gufommenne^men,  ^robe.  2.  barnnter.  3.  louter.  4.  5(rt,  anmaßen. 
5.  Partie.      6.  53aner.      7.  3a^r.      8.  anfe^en.      9.  f)üten.      10.  legen. 

11.  $Ruf.    12.  ^unftuui. 


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